Career Overlap Transition record Edition 1 · ESCO v1.2.1
Table 1Transition record

solar energy engineertorenewable energy engineer

A solar energy engineer already meets 49% of what the renewable energy engineer role asks for. The move turns on 22 required skills not yet in the profile.

From solar energy engineer
49%
Overlap1
To renewable energy engineer
46 Skills carried over
22 Required, not held
66.6 Difficulty2
adjacent 0–30
moderate 30–55
substantial 55–75
career change 75–100
this move, 66.6

This move: 66.6 of 100 · substantial

1 Share of the renewable energy engineer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the solar energy engineer 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 46 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A renewable energy engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a solar energy engineer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area
  • already held maintain photovoltaic systems working with machinery and specialised equipment
  • already held perform a feasibility study on solar absorption cooling information skills
  • already held design a solar absorption cooling system communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held photovoltaic systems engineering, manufacturing and construction
  • already held energy micro-generation technologies engineering, manufacturing and construction
  • already held create CAD drawings working with computers

All 46 carried skills, including the 20 the renewable energy engineer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 47 missing skills fall into 9 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 engineering, manufacturing and construction 11 required, 7 supplementary
  • required, not held biogas energy required
  • required, not held geothermal energy required
  • required, not held green automotive technologies required
  • required, not held marine energy required
  • required, not held mechanical engineering required
  • required, not held mining, construction and civil engineering machinery products required
  • required, not held wind energy required
  • required, not held civil engineering required
  • required, not held energy conservation required
  • required, not held environmental engineering required
  • required, not held resource-efficient technologies required
  • optional, not held geothermal energy systems optional
  • optional, not held mini wind power generation optional
  • optional, not held electric generators optional
  • optional, not held electrical power safety regulations optional
  • optional, not held energy performance of buildings optional
  • optional, not held power electronics optional
  • optional, not held sustainable manufacturing optional
02 communication, collaboration and creativity 4 required, 4 supplementary
  • required, not held design wind turbines required
  • required, not held provide information on geothermal heat pumps required
  • required, not held carry out energy management of facilities required
  • required, not held inform on government funding required
  • optional, not held coordinate electricity generation optional
  • optional, not held design geothermal energy systems optional
  • optional, not held manage contracts optional
  • optional, not held prepare scientific reports optional
03 information skills 2 required, 10 supplementary
  • required, not held make electrical calculations required
  • required, not held research locations for wind farms required
  • optional, not held assess heating and cooling systems optional
  • optional, not held assess project resource needs optional
  • optional, not held identify energy needs optional
  • optional, not held perform a feasibility study on biogas energy optional
  • optional, not held perform a feasibility study on heat pumps optional
  • optional, not held perform energy simulations optional
  • optional, not held perform smart grid feasibility study optional
  • optional, not held analyse energy consumption optional
  • optional, not held develop material testing procedures optional
  • optional, not held report test findings optional
04 assisting and caring 2 required, 1 supplementary
  • required, not held provide information on wind turbines required
  • required, not held ensure compliance with safety legislation required
  • optional, not held oversee quality control optional
05 working with computers 1 required, 1 supplementary
  • required, not held use thermal management required
  • optional, not held use software tools for site modelling optional
06 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 required
  • required, not held bioeconomy required

3 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a renewable energy engineer 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 46 skills that carry over
Skill Type
  • already held adjust engineering designs skill
  • already held approve engineering design skill
  • already held electrical engineering knowledge
  • already held energy micro-generation technologies knowledge
  • already held engineering processes knowledge
  • already held fluid mechanics knowledge
  • already held industrial heating systems knowledge
  • already held manage engineering project skill
  • already held perform project management skill
  • already held perform scientific research skill
  • already held photovoltaic systems knowledge
  • already held power engineering knowledge
  • already held promote sustainable energy skill
  • already held provide information on solar panels skill
  • already held renewable energy knowledge
  • already held solar energy knowledge
  • already held state estimation knowledge
  • already held technical drawings knowledge
  • already held use CAD software skill
  • already held use technical drawing software skill
  • already held analyse big data skill
  • already held analyse test data skill
  • already held business intelligence knowledge
  • already held cloud technologies knowledge
  • already held create CAD drawings skill
  • already held data analytics knowledge
  • already held data mining knowledge
  • already held data storage knowledge
  • already held design a solar absorption cooling system skill
  • already held energy market knowledge
  • already held engineering principles knowledge
  • already held examine engineering principles skill
  • already held information extraction knowledge
  • already held information structure knowledge
  • already held inspect facility sites skill
  • already held maintain photovoltaic systems skill
  • already held perform a feasibility study on solar absorption cooling skill
  • already held perform data mining skill
  • already held smart grids systems knowledge
  • already held statistical analysis system software knowledge
  • already held troubleshoot skill
  • already held unstructured data knowledge
  • already held use specific data analysis software skill
  • already held utilise decision support system skill
  • already held utilise machine learning skill
  • already held visual presentation techniques knowledge
The 3 learning areas not shown above
Skill to acquire Tier
07 working with machinery and specialised equipment 1 required
  • required, not held adapt energy distribution schedules required
08 agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held integrated food-energy systems optional
09 constructing 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held inspect wind turbines optional
25 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
Skill to acquire Tier
  • optional, not held assess heating and cooling systems optional
  • optional, not held assess project resource needs optional
  • optional, not held coordinate electricity generation optional
  • optional, not held design geothermal energy systems optional
  • optional, not held geothermal energy systems optional
  • optional, not held identify energy needs optional
  • optional, not held mini wind power generation optional
  • optional, not held perform a feasibility study on biogas energy optional
  • optional, not held perform a feasibility study on heat pumps optional
  • optional, not held perform energy simulations optional
  • optional, not held perform smart grid feasibility study optional
  • optional, not held use software tools for site modelling optional
  • optional, not held analyse energy consumption optional
  • optional, not held develop material testing procedures optional
  • optional, not held electric generators optional
  • optional, not held electrical power safety regulations optional
  • optional, not held energy performance of buildings optional
  • optional, not held inspect wind turbines optional
  • optional, not held integrated food-energy systems optional
  • optional, not held manage contracts optional
  • optional, not held oversee quality control optional
  • optional, not held power electronics optional
  • optional, not held prepare scientific reports optional
  • optional, not held report test findings optional
  • optional, not held sustainable manufacturing optional
26 held skills the renewable energy engineer role does not ask for
Skill Type
  • not needed by the target role adjust voltage skill
  • not needed by the target role alternative energy knowledge
  • not needed by the target role assess financial viability skill
  • not needed by the target role battery design knowledge
  • not needed by the target role calculate solar panel orientation skill
  • not needed by the target role conduct engineering site audits skill
  • not needed by the target role design a solar heating system skill
  • not needed by the target role design solar energy systems skill
  • not needed by the target role design thermal equipment skill
  • not needed by the target role draw blueprints skill
  • not needed by the target role electricity market knowledge
  • not needed by the target role energy knowledge
  • not needed by the target role maintain concentrated solar power systems skill
  • not needed by the target role maintain solar energy systems skill
  • not needed by the target role operate solar thermal energy systems for hot water and heating skill
  • not needed by the target role perform feasibility study on solar heating skill
  • not needed by the target role quality standards knowledge
  • not needed by the target role read engineering drawings skill
  • not needed by the target role run simulations skill
  • not needed by the target role solar products knowledge
  • not needed by the target role sustainable technologies knowledge
  • not needed by the target role test procedures in electricity transmission skill
  • not needed by the target role thermodynamics knowledge
  • not needed by the target role types of photovoltaic panels knowledge
  • not needed by the target role use thermal analysis skill
  • not needed by the target role wear appropriate protective gear skill
20 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 biogas energy required
  • required, not held geothermal energy required
  • required, not held green automotive technologies required
  • required, not held marine energy required
  • required, not held mechanical engineering required
  • required, not held mining, construction and civil engineering machinery products required
  • required, not held wind energy required
  • required, not held bioeconomy required
  • required, not held civil engineering required
  • required, not held energy conservation required
  • required, not held environmental engineering required
  • required, not held resource-efficient technologies required
  • optional, not held geothermal energy systems optional
  • optional, not held mini wind power generation optional
  • optional, not held electric generators optional
  • optional, not held electrical power safety regulations optional
  • optional, not held energy performance of buildings optional
  • optional, not held integrated food-energy systems optional
  • optional, not held power electronics optional
  • optional, not held sustainable manufacturing optional
Index
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.