Table 1Transition record

rail traffic controllertorail operations manager

A rail traffic controller already meets 18% of what the rail operations manager role asks for. The move turns on 16 required skills not yet in the profile.

From rail traffic controller

18%

Overlap1

To rail operations manager

4 Skills carried over

16 Required, not held

79.1 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 79.1

This move: 79.1 of 100 · career change

1 Share of the rail operations manager role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the rail traffic controller profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 4 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A rail operations manager role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a rail traffic controller background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held train planning services
already held modern power signalling systems services
already held maintain computerised records of railway traffic working with computers
already held process data from railway control rooms information skills

All 4 carried skills, including the 4 the rail operations manager role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 22 missing skills fall into 10 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 management skills 4 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held plan railway incident mitigation measures required
required, not held develop staff required
required, not held manage budgets required
required, not held manage staff required

optional, not held design wayside signalling interlockings optional

02 business, administration and law 4 required

required, not held rail project financing required
required, not held project management required
required, not held rail disruption management required
required, not held railway framework legislation required

03 assisting and caring 2 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held enforce railway safety regulations required
required, not held comply with legal regulations required

optional, not held ensure implementation of subsidence mitigation measures optional

04 information skills 2 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held assess performance of rail operations required
required, not held perform rail operations risk management required

optional, not held operate railway freight monitoring technologies optional

05 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held ensure client orientation required

optional, not held work in a rail transport team optional

06 engineering, manufacturing and construction 1 required

required, not held rail infrastructure required

4 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a rail operations manager role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 4 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held maintain computerised records of railway traffic skill
already held modern power signalling systems knowledge
already held process data from railway control rooms skill
already held train planning knowledge

The 4 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 required

required, not held physical characteristics of railways required

08 services 1 required

required, not held health and safety measures in transportation required

09 working with computers 1 supplementary

optional, not held have computer literacy optional

10 working with machinery and specialised equipment 1 supplementary

optional, not held shunt inbound loads optional

6 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held design wayside signalling interlockings optional
optional, not held ensure implementation of subsidence mitigation measures optional
optional, not held operate railway freight monitoring technologies optional
optional, not held shunt inbound loads optional
optional, not held work in a rail transport team optional
optional, not held have computer literacy optional

21 held skills the rail operations manager role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role check for defects in railcars skill
not needed by the target role determine train operational safety actions skill
not needed by the target role handle stressful situations in the work place skill
not needed by the target role maintain railway signal equipment skill
not needed by the target role manage train working timetable skill
not needed by the target role mark differences in colours skill
not needed by the target role mechanics of trains knowledge
not needed by the target role monitor train schedules skill
not needed by the target role operate LED-based panel signal boxes skill
not needed by the target role operate railway communication systems skill
not needed by the target role operate train integrated electronic control centre skill
not needed by the target role operate train signalling equipment skill
not needed by the target role oversee operational safety on trains skill
not needed by the target role oversee the daily train operations plan skill
not needed by the target role provide information on train routes skill
not needed by the target role react calmly in stressful situations skill
not needed by the target role signal box parts knowledge
not needed by the target role signal boxes knowledge
not needed by the target role test railway signalling equipment skill
not needed by the target role use different communication channels skill
not needed by the target role write signalling reports skill

7 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held rail project financing required
required, not held physical characteristics of railways required
required, not held project management required
required, not held rail disruption management required
required, not held rail infrastructure required
required, not held railway framework legislation required
required, not held health and safety measures in transportation required

Index

Other moves recorded from rail traffic controller

Full index of moves from rail traffic controller

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.