Metallurgist to geochemist
A metallurgist already meets 40% of what the geochemist role asks for. The move turns on 9 required skills not yet in the profile.
57.9/ 100
1 How much of what a geochemist is expected to do is already part of a metallurgist’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 geochemist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A geochemist role treats 7 of its required skills as things a metallurgist already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- address problems critically
- ensure compliance with environmental legislation
- manipulate metal
- perform sample testing
- prepare samples for testing
- prepare scientific reports
What stands in the way is 9 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 8 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A geochemist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a metallurgist background worth leading with.
- already held prepare samples for testing handling and moving
- already held perform sample testing information skills
- already held manipulate metal handling and moving
- already held prepare scientific reports communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held types of metal engineering, manufacturing and construction
- already held address problems critically communication, collaboration and creativity
All 8 carried skills, including the 7 the geochemist role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 15 missing skills fall into 7 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.
- still to learn examine geochemical samples required
- still to learn conduct environmental site assessments required
- still to learn create GIS reports required
- optional, not held test samples for pollutants optional
- still to learn communicate on minerals issues required
- still to learn deal with pressure from unexpected circumstances required
- optional, not held liaise with industrial professionals optional
- still to learn geographic information systems required
- still to learn geology required
- optional, not held chemistry optional
- still to learn conduct laboratory chemical research on metals required
- optional, not held perform minor repairs to equipment optional
- still to learn create thematic maps required
- optional, not held collect samples optional
1 further area in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a geochemist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 communicate on minerals issues practise this
- 02 conduct laboratory chemical research on metals practise this
- 03 deal with pressure from unexpected circumstances practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 8 skills that carry over
- already held address problems critically skill
- already held ensure compliance with environmental legislation skill
- already held manipulate metal skill
- already held perform sample testing skill
- already held prepare samples for testing skill
- already held prepare scientific reports skill
- already held types of metal knowledge
- already held troubleshoot skill
The 1 learning area not shown above
- optional, not held supervise staff optional
6 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held collect samples optional
- optional, not held test samples for pollutants optional
- optional, not held chemistry optional
- optional, not held liaise with industrial professionals optional
- optional, not held perform minor repairs to equipment optional
- optional, not held supervise staff optional
42 held skills the geochemist role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role alloys of precious metals knowledge
- not needed by the target role apply health and safety standards skill
- not needed by the target role assess suitability of metal types for specific application skill
- not needed by the target role cast metal skill
- not needed by the target role chemical processes knowledge
- not needed by the target role chemical technologies in metal manufacture knowledge
- not needed by the target role conduct chemical testing on basic metals skill
- not needed by the target role conduct metallurgical structural analysis skill
- not needed by the target role design drawings knowledge
- not needed by the target role design metal components skill
- not needed by the target role develop new installations skill
- not needed by the target role ensure health and safety in manufacturing skill
- not needed by the target role ensure public safety and security skill
- not needed by the target role extract materials from furnace skill
- not needed by the target role extract products from moulds skill
- not needed by the target role fabricate metal parts skill
- not needed by the target role ferrous metal processing knowledge
- not needed by the target role innovation processes knowledge
- not needed by the target role install monitors for process control skill
- not needed by the target role interpret extraction data skill
- not needed by the target role join metals skill
- not needed by the target role liaise with quality assurance skill
- not needed by the target role make time-critical decisions skill
- not needed by the target role manufacturing of jewellery knowledge
- not needed by the target role materials engineering knowledge
- not needed by the target role metal and metal ore products knowledge
- not needed by the target role metal forming technologies knowledge
- not needed by the target role monitor extraction logging operations skill
- not needed by the target role monitor manufacturing quality standards skill
- not needed by the target role non-ferrous metal processing knowledge
- not needed by the target role perform metal work skill
- not needed by the target role physics knowledge
- not needed by the target role precious metal processing knowledge
- not needed by the target role precious metals knowledge
- not needed by the target role prepare extraction proposals skill
- not needed by the target role process incident reports for prevention skill
- not needed by the target role provide technical documentation skill
- not needed by the target role separate metals from ores skill
- not needed by the target role shape metal over anvils skill
- not needed by the target role test raw minerals skill
2 further entries not listed here
3 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn geographic information systems required
- still to learn geology required
- optional, not held chemistry optional
Common questions about this move
Can a metallurgist become a geochemist?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A metallurgist already covers 40% of what a geochemist is expected to do: 8 skills carry over, 7 of which the geochemist role treats as required.
What skills does a metallurgist need to become a geochemist?
9 required skills are missing, plus 6 optional ones. They fall into 7 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is communicate on minerals issues.
How hard is the move from metallurgist to geochemist?
Its learning distance is 57.9 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
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.