Career Overlap Transition record
RecordMove

Computer hardware engineer to numerical tool and process control programmer

A computer hardware engineer already meets 72% of what the numerical tool and process control programmer role asks for. The move turns on 12 required skills not yet in the profile.

Fig. 1 · Skill transfer ESCO v1.2.1 · directional
From computer hardware engineer
72 % overlap
Strong match
To numerical tool and process control programmer
44 You already bring
12 Still to learn
66 Skills in the target role2
Learning distance Real move, short list to learn

40.9/ 100

1 How much of what a numerical tool and process control programmer is expected to do is already part of a computer hardware engineer’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the numerical tool and process control programmer role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.

Why

Why this move works

A numerical tool and process control programmer role treats 39 of its required skills as things a computer hardware engineer already does. You would walk in with these on day one.

  • ABAP
  • AJAX
  • APL
  • ASP.NET
  • Assembly (computer programming)
  • C#

What stands in the way is 12 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 44 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A numerical tool and process control programmer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a computer hardware engineer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area
  • already held CoffeeScript information and communication technologies (icts)
  • already held Erlang information and communication technologies (icts)
  • already held Smalltalk (computer programming) information and communication technologies (icts)
  • already held Microsoft Visual C++ information and communication technologies (icts)
  • already held ABAP information and communication technologies (icts)
  • already held APL information and communication technologies (icts)

All 44 carried skills, including the 39 the numerical tool and process control programmer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you may need to learn

The 22 missing skills fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.

Skill to pick up Tier
01 engineering, manufacturing and construction 2 required, 4 supplementary
  • still to learn blueprints required
  • still to learn quality and cycle time optimisation required
  • optional, not held engineering processes optional
  • optional, not held lathe machine parts optional
  • optional, not held manufacturing processes optional
  • optional, not held mechanics optional
02 information skills 2 required, 1 supplementary
  • still to learn apply control process statistical methods required
  • still to learn read standard blueprints required
  • optional, not held use technical documentation optional
03 working with computers 2 required, 1 supplementary
  • still to learn program a CNC controller required
  • still to learn set up the controller of a machine required
  • optional, not held use computer-aided engineering systems optional
04 information and communication technologies (icts) 2 required
  • still to learn ICT system programming required
  • still to learn CAD software required
05 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 required, 2 supplementary
  • still to learn troubleshoot required
  • optional, not held advise client on technical possibilities optional
  • optional, not held advise on safety improvements optional
06 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 required, 1 supplementary
  • still to learn statistical process control required
  • optional, not held 3D modelling optional

2 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a numerical tool and process control programmer 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 44 skills that carry over
Skill Type
  • already held ABAP knowledge
  • already held AJAX knowledge
  • already held APL knowledge
  • already held ASP.NET knowledge
  • already held Assembly (computer programming) knowledge
  • already held C# knowledge
  • already held C++ knowledge
  • already held COBOL knowledge
  • already held CoffeeScript knowledge
  • already held Common Lisp knowledge
  • already held Erlang knowledge
  • already held Groovy knowledge
  • already held Haskell knowledge
  • already held Java (computer programming) knowledge
  • already held JavaScript knowledge
  • already held Lisp knowledge
  • already held MATLAB knowledge
  • already held ML (computer programming) knowledge
  • already held Microsoft Visual C++ knowledge
  • already held Objective-C knowledge
  • already held OpenEdge Advanced Business Language knowledge
  • already held PHP knowledge
  • already held Pascal (computer programming) knowledge
  • already held Perl knowledge
  • already held Prolog (computer programming) knowledge
  • already held Python (computer programming) knowledge
  • already held R knowledge
  • already held Ruby (computer programming) knowledge
  • already held SAP R3 knowledge
  • already held SAS language knowledge
  • already held Scala knowledge
  • already held Scratch (computer programming) knowledge
  • already held Smalltalk (computer programming) knowledge
  • already held Swift (computer programming) knowledge
  • already held TypeScript knowledge
  • already held VBScript knowledge
  • already held Visual Basic knowledge
  • already held computer programming knowledge
  • already held use CAD software skill
  • already held electrical engineering knowledge
  • already held engineering principles knowledge
  • already held mathematics knowledge
  • already held perform data analysis skill
  • already held use CAM software skill
The 2 learning areas not shown above
Skill to pick up Tier
07 working with machinery and specialised equipment 1 required, 1 supplementary
  • still to learn use measurement instruments required
  • optional, not held tend lathe optional
08 management skills 1 required
  • still to learn ensure equipment availability required
10 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
Skill to pick up Tier
  • optional, not held engineering processes optional
  • optional, not held 3D modelling optional
  • optional, not held advise client on technical possibilities optional
  • optional, not held advise on safety improvements optional
  • optional, not held lathe machine parts optional
  • optional, not held manufacturing processes optional
  • optional, not held mechanics optional
  • optional, not held tend lathe optional
  • optional, not held use computer-aided engineering systems optional
  • optional, not held use technical documentation optional
88 held skills the numerical tool and process control programmer role does not ask for
Skill Type
  • not needed by the target role CAE software knowledge
  • not needed by the target role abide by regulations on banned materials skill
  • not needed by the target role adjust engineering designs skill
  • not needed by the target role align software with system architectures skill
  • not needed by the target role analyse test data skill
  • not needed by the target role apply blended learning skill
  • not needed by the target role apply for research funding skill
  • not needed by the target role apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities skill
  • not needed by the target role apply technical communication skills skill
  • not needed by the target role approve engineering design skill
  • not needed by the target role assemble hardware components skill
  • not needed by the target role build business relationships skill
  • not needed by the target role communicate with a non-scientific audience skill
  • not needed by the target role communicate with customers skill
  • not needed by the target role computer engineering knowledge
  • not needed by the target role computer technology knowledge
  • not needed by the target role conduct literature research skill
  • not needed by the target role conduct quality control analysis skill
  • not needed by the target role conduct research across disciplines skill
  • not needed by the target role coordinate engineering teams skill
  • not needed by the target role create technical plans skill
  • not needed by the target role define manufacturing quality criteria skill
  • not needed by the target role demonstrate disciplinary expertise skill
  • not needed by the target role design drawings knowledge
  • not needed by the target role design firmware skill
  • not needed by the target role design hardware skill
  • not needed by the target role design prototypes skill
  • not needed by the target role develop product design skill
  • not needed by the target role develop professional network with researchers and scientists skill
  • not needed by the target role disseminate results to the scientific community skill
  • not needed by the target role draft bill of materials skill
  • not needed by the target role draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentation skill
  • not needed by the target role electricity knowledge
  • not needed by the target role electricity principles knowledge
  • not needed by the target role electronics knowledge
  • not needed by the target role environmental legislation knowledge
  • not needed by the target role environmental threats knowledge
  • not needed by the target role evaluate research activities skill
  • not needed by the target role firmware knowledge
  • not needed by the target role hardware architectures knowledge

48 further entries not listed here

10 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 pick up Tier
  • still to learn ICT system programming required
  • still to learn CAD software required
  • still to learn blueprints required
  • still to learn quality and cycle time optimisation required
  • still to learn statistical process control required
  • optional, not held engineering processes optional
  • optional, not held 3D modelling optional
  • optional, not held lathe machine parts optional
  • optional, not held manufacturing processes optional
  • optional, not held mechanics optional
Index

Other moves recorded from computer hardware engineer

Full index of moves from computer hardware engineer

FAQ

Common questions about this move

Can a computer hardware engineer become a numerical tool and process control programmer?

Yes, and it is a moderate move. A computer hardware engineer already covers 72% of what a numerical tool and process control programmer is expected to do: 44 skills carry over, 39 of which the numerical tool and process control programmer role treats as required.

What skills does a computer hardware engineer need to become a numerical tool and process control programmer?

12 required skills are missing, plus 10 optional ones. They fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by engineering, manufacturing and construction. The single most important is ICT system programming.

How hard is the move from computer hardware engineer to numerical tool and process control programmer?

Its learning distance is 40.9 out of 100, which is the moderate band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.

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.