Table 1Transition record

food techniciantofood production engineer

A food technician already meets 44% of what the food production engineer role asks for. The move turns on 12 required skills not yet in the profile.

From food technician

44%

Overlap1

To food production engineer

16 Skills carried over

12 Required, not held

58.8 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 58.8

This move: 58.8 of 100 · substantial

1 Share of the food production engineer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the food technician 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 16 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A food production engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a food technician background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held manage all process engineering activities management skills
already held ensure full functioning of food plant machinery working with machinery and specialised equipment
already held manage corrective actions communication, collaboration and creativity
already held food preservation engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held perform quality audits management skills
already held mitigate waste of resources management skills

All 16 carried skills, including the 8 the food production engineer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 17 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 4 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held food authentication techniques required
required, not held food storage required
required, not held electrical engineering required
required, not held electronics required

optional, not held food homogenisation optional

02 management skills 2 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held develop food production processes required
required, not held disaggregate the production plan required

optional, not held lead process optimisation optional

03 information skills 2 required

required, not held keep up with innovations in food manufacturing required
required, not held keep up-to-date with regulations required

04 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held configure plants for food industry required

optional, not held food plant design optional

05 services 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held food fraud required

optional, not held food safety standards optional

06 constructing 1 required

required, not held monitor equipment condition required

2 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a food production 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 16 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held apply GMP skill
already held apply HACCP skill
already held apply requirements concerning manufacturing of food and beverages skill
already held carry out checks of production plant equipment skill
already held manage all process engineering activities skill
already held manage corrective actions skill
already held mitigate waste of resources skill
already held quality assurance methodologies knowledge
already held analyse work-related written reports skill
already held be at ease in unsafe environments skill
already held ensure compliance with environmental legislation in food production skill
already held ensure full functioning of food plant machinery skill
already held food and beverage industry knowledge
already held food preservation knowledge
already held perform quality audits skill
already held write work-related reports skill

The 2 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 working with machinery and specialised equipment 1 required

required, not held disassemble equipment required

08 assisting and caring 1 supplementary

optional, not held assess HACCP implementation in plants optional

5 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held assess HACCP implementation in plants optional
optional, not held food homogenisation optional
optional, not held food plant design optional
optional, not held food safety standards optional
optional, not held lead process optimisation optional

64 held skills the food production engineer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role adjust production schedule skill
not needed by the target role administer ingredients in food production skill
not needed by the target role analyse packaging requirements skill
not needed by the target role analyse production processes for improvement skill
not needed by the target role analyse samples of food and beverages skill
not needed by the target role apply control process statistical methods skill
not needed by the target role apply food technology principles skill
not needed by the target role assess the life cycle of resources skill
not needed by the target role assist in the development of standard operating procedures in the food chain skill
not needed by the target role calibrate laboratory equipment skill
not needed by the target role check quality of products on the production line skill
not needed by the target role check quality of raw materials skill
not needed by the target role circular economy knowledge
not needed by the target role clean food and beverage machinery skill
not needed by the target role cleaning of reusable packaging knowledge
not needed by the target role combination of flavours knowledge
not needed by the target role combination of textures knowledge
not needed by the target role develop new food products skill
not needed by the target role energy efficiency knowledge
not needed by the target role ensure finished product meet requirements skill
not needed by the target role ensure public safety and security skill
not needed by the target role evaluate ingredient documentation from suppliers skill
not needed by the target role fermentation processes of beverages knowledge
not needed by the target role fermentation processes of food knowledge
not needed by the target role follow hygienic procedures during food processing skill
not needed by the target role follow-up lab results skill
not needed by the target role food canning production line knowledge
not needed by the target role food ethics knowledge
not needed by the target role food legislation knowledge
not needed by the target role food materials knowledge
not needed by the target role food product ingredients knowledge
not needed by the target role food safety principles knowledge
not needed by the target role food waste monitoring systems knowledge
not needed by the target role functional properties of foods knowledge
not needed by the target role handle delivery of raw materials skill
not needed by the target role identify the factors causing changes in food during storage skill
not needed by the target role investigate customer complaints of food products skill
not needed by the target role keep inventory of goods in production skill
not needed by the target role laboratory-based sciences knowledge
not needed by the target role legislation about animal origin products knowledge

24 further entries not listed here

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 food authentication techniques required
required, not held food fraud required
required, not held food storage required
required, not held electrical engineering required
required, not held electronics required
optional, not held food homogenisation optional
optional, not held food safety standards optional

Index

Other moves recorded from food technician

Full index of moves from food technician

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.