Table 1Transition record

geothermal techniciantogeothermal engineer

A geothermal technician already meets 34% of what the geothermal engineer role asks for. The move turns on 22 required skills not yet in the profile.

From geothermal technician

34%

Overlap1

To geothermal engineer

16 Skills carried over

22 Required, not held

73.1 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 73.1

This move: 73.1 of 100 · substantial

1 Share of the geothermal engineer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the geothermal 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 geothermal engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a geothermal technician background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held geothermal power generation methods engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held geothermal power plant operations engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held geothermal energy engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held assess heating and cooling systems information skills
already held perform energy simulations information skills
already held define energy profiles information skills

All 16 carried skills, including the 12 the geothermal engineer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 33 missing skills fall into 9 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 communication, collaboration and creativity 6 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held design geothermal energy systems required
required, not held design heat pump installations required
required, not held design thermal equipment required
required, not held adjust engineering designs required
required, not held advise on building matters required
required, not held approve engineering design required

optional, not held design a combined heat and power system optional
optional, not held design an electric heating system optional
optional, not held design district heating and cooling energy systems optional
optional, not held design heating and cooling emission systems optional

02 information skills 3 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held perform a feasibility study on heat pumps required
required, not held perform feasibility study on geothermal energy required
required, not held apply statistical analysis techniques required

optional, not held inspect facility sites optional
optional, not held perform a feasibility study on combined heat and power optional
optional, not held perform a feasibility study on electric heating optional
optional, not held perform smart grid feasibility study optional

03 engineering, manufacturing and construction 3 required

required, not held energy efficiency required
required, not held energy transformation required
required, not held technical drawings required

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

required, not held operate scientific measuring equipment required
required, not held perform laboratory tests required

optional, not held use testing equipment optional

05 assisting and caring 2 required

required, not held assess environmental impact required
required, not held ensure compliance with environmental legislation required

06 information and communication technologies (icts) 2 required

required, not held CAM software required
required, not held CAD software required

3 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a geothermal 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 health and safety standards skill
already held electric current knowledge
already held electric generators knowledge
already held electrical power safety regulations knowledge
already held electricity knowledge
already held geothermal energy knowledge
already held geothermal energy systems knowledge
already held geothermal power generation methods knowledge
already held geothermal power plant operations knowledge
already held renewable energy knowledge
already held thermodynamics knowledge
already held types of heat pumps knowledge
already held assess heating and cooling systems skill
already held coordinate electricity generation skill
already held define energy profiles skill
already held perform energy simulations skill

The 3 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 2 required

required, not held geographic information systems required
required, not held geology required

08 management skills 1 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held design thermal requirements required

optional, not held develop strategies for electricity contingencies optional
optional, not held oversee construction project optional

09 business, administration and law 1 required

required, not held environmental legislation required

11 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held design a combined heat and power system optional
optional, not held design an electric heating system optional
optional, not held design district heating and cooling energy systems optional
optional, not held design heating and cooling emission systems optional
optional, not held develop strategies for electricity contingencies optional
optional, not held inspect facility sites optional
optional, not held perform a feasibility study on combined heat and power optional
optional, not held perform a feasibility study on electric heating optional
optional, not held perform smart grid feasibility study optional
optional, not held oversee construction project optional
optional, not held use testing equipment optional

29 held skills the geothermal engineer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role alternative energy knowledge
not needed by the target role check compatibility of materials skill
not needed by the target role combined heat and power generation knowledge
not needed by the target role conduct routine machinery checks skill
not needed by the target role district heating and cooling knowledge
not needed by the target role domestic cooling systems knowledge
not needed by the target role electric heating systems knowledge
not needed by the target role electrical equipment regulations knowledge
not needed by the target role electricity consumption knowledge
not needed by the target role energy conservation knowledge
not needed by the target role ensure safety in electrical power operations skill
not needed by the target role health and safety in the workplace knowledge
not needed by the target role maintain electrical equipment skill
not needed by the target role maintain records of maintenance interventions skill
not needed by the target role operate climate control skill
not needed by the target role operate drilling equipment skill
not needed by the target role prevent pipeline deterioration skill
not needed by the target role promote environmental awareness skill
not needed by the target role promote sustainability skill
not needed by the target role promote sustainable energy skill
not needed by the target role provide information on geothermal heat pumps skill
not needed by the target role respond to emergency calls for repairs skill
not needed by the target role smart grids systems knowledge
not needed by the target role switching devices knowledge
not needed by the target role test electrical equipment skill
not needed by the target role test pipeline infrastructure operations skill
not needed by the target role test procedures in electricity transmission skill
not needed by the target role troubleshoot skill
not needed by the target role zero-energy building design knowledge

8 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 CAM software required
required, not held energy efficiency required
required, not held energy transformation required
required, not held geographic information systems required
required, not held CAD software required
required, not held environmental legislation required
required, not held geology required
required, not held technical drawings required

Index

Other moves recorded from geothermal technician

Full index of moves from geothermal 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.