Table 1Transition record

synthetic materials engineertomaterials engineer

A synthetic materials engineer already meets 22% of what the materials engineer role asks for. The move turns on 21 required skills not yet in the profile.

From synthetic materials engineer

22%

Overlap1

To materials engineer

10 Skills carried over

21 Required, not held

80 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 80

This move: 80 of 100 · career change

1 Share of the materials engineer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the synthetic materials 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 10 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A materials engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a synthetic materials engineer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held rubber technology engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held test materials information skills
already held basic chemicals natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
already held materials engineering engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held work with chemicals handling and moving
already held types of plastic engineering, manufacturing and construction

All 10 carried skills, including the 6 the materials engineer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 37 missing skills fall into 8 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 5 required, 7 supplementary

required, not held engineering processes required
required, not held integrated design required
required, not held sustainable building materials required
required, not held engineering principles required
required, not held material mechanics required

optional, not held envelope systems for buildings optional
optional, not held green chemistry optional
optional, not held properties of textile materials optional
optional, not held electricity optional
optional, not held mechanics optional
optional, not held semiconductors optional
optional, not held types of metal optional

02 information skills 5 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held develop advanced materials required
required, not held develop material testing procedures required
required, not held forecast organisational risks required
required, not held perform scientific research required
required, not held test chemical samples required

optional, not held assess the feasibility of implementing developments optional

03 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 5 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held advanced materials required
required, not held analytical chemistry required
required, not held chemistry required
required, not held composite materials required
required, not held thermoplastic materials required

optional, not held laboratory techniques optional

04 communication, collaboration and creativity 3 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held approve engineering design required
required, not held create solutions to problems required
required, not held integrate new products in manufacturing required

optional, not held advise on pollution prevention optional
optional, not held advise on waste management procedures optional
optional, not held design prototypes optional
optional, not held develop chemical products optional

05 assisting and caring 2 required

required, not held apply health and safety standards required
required, not held assess environmental impact required

06 working with machinery and specialised equipment 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held perform chemical experiments required

optional, not held perform laboratory tests optional

2 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a materials 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 10 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held adjust engineering designs skill
already held analyse production processes for improvement skill
already held manufacturing processes knowledge
already held materials engineering knowledge
already held test materials skill
already held work with chemicals skill
already held basic chemicals knowledge
already held quality standards knowledge
already held rubber technology knowledge
already held types of plastic knowledge

The 2 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 business, administration and law 1 supplementary

optional, not held pollution legislation optional

08 management skills 1 supplementary

optional, not held define quality standards optional

16 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held envelope systems for buildings optional
optional, not held green chemistry optional
optional, not held pollution legislation optional
optional, not held properties of textile materials optional
optional, not held advise on pollution prevention optional
optional, not held advise on waste management procedures optional
optional, not held assess the feasibility of implementing developments optional
optional, not held define quality standards optional
optional, not held design prototypes optional
optional, not held develop chemical products optional
optional, not held electricity optional
optional, not held laboratory techniques optional
optional, not held mechanics optional
optional, not held perform laboratory tests optional
optional, not held semiconductors optional
optional, not held types of metal optional

28 held skills the materials engineer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role anticipate installation maintenance skill
not needed by the target role assemble machines skill
not needed by the target role build machines skill
not needed by the target role check quality of raw materials skill
not needed by the target role chemical processes knowledge
not needed by the target role civil engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role communication knowledge
not needed by the target role design engineering components skill
not needed by the target role design principles knowledge
not needed by the target role design process skill
not needed by the target role electrical machines knowledge
not needed by the target role examine engineering principles skill
not needed by the target role handle chemicals skill
not needed by the target role injection moulding machine parts knowledge
not needed by the target role inspect quality of products skill
not needed by the target role manage environmental impact of operations skill
not needed by the target role manage processes skill
not needed by the target role measure materials skill
not needed by the target role perform maintenance on installed equipment skill
not needed by the target role prepare scientific reports skill
not needed by the target role quality assurance methodologies knowledge
not needed by the target role record test data skill
not needed by the target role synthetic materials knowledge
not needed by the target role use CAD software skill
not needed by the target role use hand tools skill
not needed by the target role use technical drawing software skill
not needed by the target role work safely with chemicals skill
not needed by the target role write technical reports skill

19 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 advanced materials required
required, not held engineering processes required
required, not held integrated design required
required, not held sustainable building materials required
required, not held analytical chemistry required
required, not held chemistry required
required, not held composite materials required
required, not held engineering principles required
required, not held material mechanics required
required, not held thermoplastic materials required
optional, not held envelope systems for buildings optional
optional, not held green chemistry optional
optional, not held pollution legislation optional
optional, not held properties of textile materials optional
optional, not held electricity optional
optional, not held laboratory techniques optional
optional, not held mechanics optional
optional, not held semiconductors optional
optional, not held types of metal optional

Index

Other moves recorded from synthetic materials engineer

Full index of moves from synthetic materials engineer

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.