Chipper operator to digester operator

• already held quality standards knowledge
• already held set up the controller of a machine skill
• already held supply machine skill
• already held troubleshoot skill
• already held types of wood knowledge
• already held wear appropriate protective gear skill
• already held work safely with machines skill
• already held check quality of raw materials skill
• already held dispose of non-hazardous waste skill
• already held drive chipper truck skill
• already held monitor chipper machine skill
• already held monitor gauge skill
• already held operate debarking machine skill
• already held operate wood chipper skill
• already held prepare wood production reports skill

• optional, not held deinking processes optional
• optional, not held tend bleacher optional
• optional, not held test paper production samples optional
• optional, not held use deinking chemicals optional
• optional, not held carry out waste water treatment optional
• optional, not held clean equipment optional
• optional, not held consult technical resources optional
• optional, not held dispose of hazardous waste optional
• optional, not held keep records of work progress optional
• optional, not held monitor chemical process condition optional
• optional, not held perform machine maintenance optional
• optional, not held record production data for quality control optional
• optional, not held report defective manufacturing materials optional
• optional, not held types of bleach optional

• not needed by the target role adjust cut sizes skill
• not needed by the target role assess felled timber quality skill
• not needed by the target role assess felled timber volume skill
• not needed by the target role conduct routine machinery checks skill
• not needed by the target role de-limb trees skill
• not needed by the target role handle timber skill
• not needed by the target role identify hazards in the workplace skill
• not needed by the target role inspect machinery skill
• not needed by the target role inspect trees skill
• not needed by the target role inspect wood materials skill
• not needed by the target role manage logs transfer skill
• not needed by the target role manage timber stocks skill
• not needed by the target role meet contract specifications skill
• not needed by the target role monitor heavy machinery skill
• not needed by the target role operate grappler skill
• not needed by the target role operate heavy construction machinery without supervision skill
• not needed by the target role process timber using hand-fed machinery skill
• not needed by the target role replace knives skill
• not needed by the target role sharpen edged tools skill
• not needed by the target role timber products knowledge
• not needed by the target role types of sawing blades knowledge
• not needed by the target role types of wood chippers knowledge
• not needed by the target role use wrenches skill

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

• still to learn types of digesters required
• still to learn types of paper required
• still to learn types of pulp required
• optional, not held deinking processes optional
• optional, not held types of bleach optional

Yes, and it is a substantial move. A chipper operator already covers 43% of what a digester operator is expected to do: 15 skills carry over, 7 of which the digester operator role treats as required.

8 required skills are missing, plus 14 optional ones. They fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by working with machinery and specialised equipment. The single most important is concentrate pulp slurry.

Its learning distance is 58.8 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.