RecordMove

Food technician to food technologist

A food technician already meets 49% of what the food technologist role asks for. The move turns on 33 required skills not yet in the profile.

Fig. 1 · Skill transfer ESCO v1.2.1 · directional

From food technician

Partial match

To food technologist

60 You already bring

33 Still to learn

139 Skills in the target role2

Learning distance Substantial retraining

69.8/ 100

adjacentmoderatesubstantialcareer change

1 How much of what a food technologist is expected to do is already part of a food technician’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 food technologist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.

Why

Why this move works

A food technologist role treats 40 of its required skills as things a food technician already does. You would walk in with these on day one.

analyse packaging requirements
analyse samples of food and beverages
apply GMP
apply HACCP
apply food technology principles
apply requirements concerning manufacturing of food and beverages

What stands in the way is 33 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 60 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A food technologist 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 evaluate ingredient documentation from suppliers information skills
already held food ethics arts and humanities
already held combination of textures engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held monitor processing conditions information skills
already held combination of flavours engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held promote ethical eating communication, collaboration and creativity

All 60 carried skills, including the 40 the food technologist role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you may need to learn

The 79 missing skills fall into 11 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 9 required, 4 supplementary

still to learn food authentication techniques required
still to learn food engineering required
still to learn food products composition required
still to learn food science required
still to learn food storage required
still to learn food toxicity required
still to learn ingredient threats required
still to learn risks associated to physical, chemical, biological hazards in food and beverages required
still to learn traceability in food industry required

optional, not held cultural customs on food preparation optional
optional, not held effects of pesticides in food raw materials optional
optional, not held food homogenisation optional
optional, not held food policy optional

02 information skills 5 required, 13 supplementary

still to learn interpret data in food manufacturing required
still to learn keep up with innovations in food manufacturing required
still to learn strive for nutritional improvement of food manufacturing required
still to learn use new technologies in food manufacturing required
still to learn watch food product trends required

optional, not held analyse trends in the food and beverage industries optional
optional, not held assess quality characteristics of food products optional
optional, not held ensure correct goods labelling optional
optional, not held monitor packaging operations optional
optional, not held perform food safety checks optional
optional, not held research new cooking methods optional
optional, not held apply scientific methods optional
optional, not held collect briefing regarding products optional
optional, not held follow laboratory manuals optional
optional, not held identify hazards in the workplace optional
optional, not held keep up-to-date with regulations optional
optional, not held perform physico-chemical analysis to food materials optional
optional, not held perform sensory evaluation of food products optional

03 management skills 4 required, 6 supplementary

still to learn develop food production processes required
still to learn lead process optimisation required
still to learn manage discarded products required
still to learn manage food manufacturing laboratory required

optional, not held develop standard operating procedures in the food chain optional
optional, not held keep food laboratory inventory optional
optional, not held perform strategic planning in the food industry optional
optional, not held adapt production levels optional
optional, not held manage packaging development cycle from concept to launch optional
optional, not held manage scale-up experiments for manufacturing of products optional

04 health and welfare 4 required

still to learn food allergies required
still to learn foodborne diseases required
still to learn biotechnology required
still to learn enzymatic processing required

05 assisting and caring 3 required, 7 supplementary

still to learn assess HACCP implementation in plants required
still to learn ensure responsible sourcing in food supply chains required
still to learn manage ethics issues in the food industry required

optional, not held assess shelf life of food products optional
optional, not held inspect silo systems optional
optional, not held participate as observer in different types of audits in the food sector optional
optional, not held attend to detail in preparation for audits optional
optional, not held carry out environmental audits optional
optional, not held identify nutritional properties of food optional
optional, not held manage environmental management system optional

06 communication, collaboration and creativity 2 required, 11 supplementary

still to learn describe chemical innovation in products required
still to learn improve chemical processes required

optional, not held coordinate launches of new food products optional
optional, not held advocate for consumer matters in production plants optional
optional, not held configure plants for food industry optional
optional, not held develop food scanner devices optional
optional, not held food plant design optional
optional, not held manage communications with food industry governmental bodies optional
optional, not held provide food labelling expertise optional
optional, not held research new food ingredients optional
optional, not held carry out training in environmental matters optional
optional, not held create new recipes optional
optional, not held provide training on quality management supervision optional

5 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a food technologist 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 60 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held analyse packaging requirements skill
already held analyse samples of food and beverages skill
already held apply GMP skill
already held apply HACCP skill
already held apply food technology principles skill
already held apply requirements concerning manufacturing of food and beverages skill
already held circular economy knowledge
already held combination of flavours knowledge
already held combination of textures knowledge
already held energy efficiency knowledge
already held ensure public safety and security skill
already held evaluate ingredient documentation from suppliers skill
already held fermentation processes of food knowledge
already held follow-up lab results skill
already held food and beverage industry knowledge
already held food canning production line knowledge
already held food ethics knowledge
already held food legislation knowledge
already held food materials knowledge
already held food preservation knowledge
already held food product ingredients knowledge
already held food safety principles knowledge
already held food waste monitoring systems knowledge
already held functional properties of foods knowledge
already held identify the factors causing changes in food during storage skill
already held laboratory-based sciences knowledge
already held legislation about animal origin products knowledge
already held listen actively skill
already held molecular gastronomy knowledge
already held monitor developments used for food industry skill
already held monitor processing conditions skill
already held pathogenic microorganisms in food knowledge
already held perform food risk analysis skill
already held prepare visual data skill
already held processes of foods and beverages manufacturing knowledge
already held promote ethical eating skill
already held quality assurance methodologies knowledge
already held read engineering drawings skill
already held waste management knowledge
already held write work-related reports skill
already held adjust production schedule skill
already held analyse production processes for improvement skill
already held apply control process statistical methods skill
already held assess the life cycle of resources skill
already held be at ease in unsafe environments skill
already held check quality of products on the production line skill
already held check quality of raw materials skill
already held develop new food products skill
already held ensure compliance with environmental legislation in food production skill
already held ensure finished product meet requirements skill
already held fermentation processes of beverages knowledge
already held mitigate waste of resources skill
already held monitor ingredient storage skill
already held monitor the production line skill
already held operate automated process control skill
already held participate in the development of new food products skill
already held perform quality audits skill
already held plan shifts of employees skill
already held select adequate packaging for food products skill
already held use resource-efficient technologies in hospitality skill

The 5 learning areas not shown above

Skill to pick up Tier

07 services 2 required, 1 supplementary

still to learn food fraud required
still to learn health, safety and hygiene legislation required

optional, not held food safety standards optional

08 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 2 required

still to learn bioeconomy required
still to learn chemistry required

09 working with machinery and specialised equipment 1 required, 2 supplementary

still to learn manage the use of additives in food manufacturing required

optional, not held detect microorganisms optional
optional, not held perform chemical experiments optional

10 handling and moving 1 required, 1 supplementary

still to learn collect samples for analysis required

optional, not held perform microbiological analysis in food optional

11 business, administration and law 1 supplementary

optional, not held project management optional

46 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to pick up Tier

optional, not held coordinate launches of new food products optional
optional, not held advocate for consumer matters in production plants optional
optional, not held analyse trends in the food and beverage industries optional
optional, not held assess quality characteristics of food products optional
optional, not held assess shelf life of food products optional
optional, not held configure plants for food industry optional
optional, not held cultural customs on food preparation optional
optional, not held detect microorganisms optional
optional, not held develop food scanner devices optional
optional, not held develop standard operating procedures in the food chain optional
optional, not held effects of pesticides in food raw materials optional
optional, not held ensure correct goods labelling optional
optional, not held food homogenisation optional
optional, not held food plant design optional
optional, not held food policy optional
optional, not held food safety standards optional
optional, not held inspect silo systems optional
optional, not held keep food laboratory inventory optional
optional, not held manage communications with food industry governmental bodies optional
optional, not held monitor packaging operations optional
optional, not held participate as observer in different types of audits in the food sector optional
optional, not held perform food safety checks optional
optional, not held perform microbiological analysis in food optional
optional, not held perform strategic planning in the food industry optional
optional, not held project management optional
optional, not held provide food labelling expertise optional
optional, not held research new cooking methods optional
optional, not held research new food ingredients optional
optional, not held adapt production levels optional
optional, not held apply scientific methods optional
optional, not held attend to detail in preparation for audits optional
optional, not held carry out environmental audits optional
optional, not held carry out training in environmental matters optional
optional, not held collect briefing regarding products optional
optional, not held create new recipes optional
optional, not held follow laboratory manuals optional
optional, not held identify hazards in the workplace optional
optional, not held identify nutritional properties of food optional
optional, not held keep up-to-date with regulations optional
optional, not held manage environmental management system optional

6 further entries not listed here

20 held skills the food technologist role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role administer ingredients in food production skill
not needed by the target role analyse work-related written reports 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 carry out checks of production plant equipment skill
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 ensure full functioning of food plant machinery skill
not needed by the target role follow hygienic procedures during food processing skill
not needed by the target role handle delivery of raw materials 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 manage all process engineering activities skill
not needed by the target role manage corrective actions skill
not needed by the target role manage packaging material skill
not needed by the target role manage resources in food manufacturing skill
not needed by the target role monitor coating specifications skill
not needed by the target role monitor freezing processes skill
not needed by the target role schedule regular machine maintenance skill
not needed by the target role set up equipment for food production skill

23 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 food allergies required
still to learn food authentication techniques required
still to learn food engineering required
still to learn food fraud required
still to learn food products composition required
still to learn food science required
still to learn food storage required
still to learn food toxicity required
still to learn foodborne diseases required
still to learn ingredient threats required
still to learn risks associated to physical, chemical, biological hazards in food and beverages required
still to learn traceability in food industry required
still to learn bioeconomy required
still to learn biotechnology required
still to learn chemistry required
still to learn enzymatic processing required
still to learn health, safety and hygiene legislation required
optional, not held cultural customs on food preparation optional
optional, not held effects of pesticides in food raw materials optional
optional, not held food homogenisation optional
optional, not held food policy optional
optional, not held food safety standards optional
optional, not held project management optional

Index

Other moves recorded from food technician

Full index of moves from food technician

FAQ

Common questions about this move

Can a food technician become a food technologist?

Yes, and it is a substantial move. A food technician already covers 49% of what a food technologist is expected to do: 60 skills carry over, 40 of which the food technologist role treats as required.

What skills does a food technician need to become a food technologist?

33 required skills are missing, plus 46 optional ones. They fall into 11 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by engineering, manufacturing and construction. The single most important is describe chemical innovation in products.

How hard is the move from food technician to food technologist?

Its learning distance is 69.8 out of 100, which is the substantial 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.