Table 1Transition record

nuclear reactor operatortonuclear engineer

A nuclear reactor operator already meets 58% of what the nuclear engineer role asks for. The move turns on 14 required skills not yet in the profile.

From nuclear reactor operator

58%

Overlap1

To nuclear engineer

27 Skills carried over

14 Required, not held

50.4 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 50.4

This move: 50.4 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the nuclear engineer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the nuclear reactor operator 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 27 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A nuclear engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a nuclear reactor operator background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held nuclear reprocessing engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held maintain nuclear reactors working with machinery and specialised equipment
already held design strategies for nuclear emergencies management skills
already held nuclear physics natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
already held ensure equipment cooling working with machinery and specialised equipment
already held calculate exposure to radiation information skills

All 27 carried skills, including the 18 the nuclear engineer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 18 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 6 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held engineering processes required
required, not held mining, construction and civil engineering machinery products required
required, not held civil engineering required
required, not held engineering principles required
required, not held mechanics required
required, not held safety engineering required

optional, not held electricity consumption optional

02 communication, collaboration and creativity 2 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held adjust engineering designs required
required, not held approve engineering design required

optional, not held design power plant systems optional
optional, not held design automation components optional

03 management skills 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held develop radiation protection strategies required

optional, not held develop strategies for electricity contingencies optional

04 assisting and caring 1 required

required, not held ensure compliance with safety legislation required

05 business, administration and law 1 required

required, not held nuclear legislation required

06 information skills 1 required

required, not held perform scientific research required

2 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a nuclear 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 27 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held calculate exposure to radiation skill
already held contamination exposure regulations knowledge
already held design strategies for nuclear emergencies skill
already held electric generators knowledge
already held ensure compliance with environmental legislation skill
already held ensure compliance with radiation protection regulations skill
already held follow nuclear plant safety precautions skill
already held mechanical engineering knowledge
already held metrology knowledge
already held monitor nuclear power plant systems skill
already held nuclear energy knowledge
already held nuclear physics knowledge
already held nuclear reprocessing knowledge
already held perform risk analysis skill
already held radiation protection knowledge
already held radioactive contamination knowledge
already held technical drawings knowledge
already held thermodynamics knowledge
already held automation technology knowledge
already held electrical power safety regulations knowledge
already held ensure equipment cooling skill
already held maintain nuclear reactors skill
already held monitor radiation levels skill
already held resolve equipment malfunctions skill
already held respond to nuclear emergencies skill
already held test safety strategies skill
already held wear appropriate protective gear skill

The 2 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 working with computers 1 required

required, not held use technical drawing software required

08 working with machinery and specialised equipment 1 required

required, not held calibrate precision instrument required

4 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held design power plant systems optional
optional, not held develop strategies for electricity contingencies optional
optional, not held design automation components optional
optional, not held electricity consumption optional

17 held skills the nuclear engineer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role avoid contamination skill
not needed by the target role electricity knowledge
not needed by the target role ensure compliance with electricity distribution schedule skill
not needed by the target role follow safety precautions in work practices skill
not needed by the target role hydraulics knowledge
not needed by the target role instruct employees on radiation protection skill
not needed by the target role liaise with engineers skill
not needed by the target role maintenance operations knowledge
not needed by the target role manage emergency evacuation plans skill
not needed by the target role monitor automated machines skill
not needed by the target role monitor electric generators skill
not needed by the target role operate computerised control systems skill
not needed by the target role plan maintenance activities skill
not needed by the target role pneumatics knowledge
not needed by the target role protective safety equipment knowledge
not needed by the target role respond to electrical power contingencies skill
not needed by the target role use remote control equipment skill

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 engineering processes required
required, not held mining, construction and civil engineering machinery products required
required, not held nuclear legislation required
required, not held civil engineering required
required, not held engineering principles required
required, not held mechanics required
required, not held safety engineering required
optional, not held electricity consumption optional

Index

Other moves recorded from nuclear reactor operator

Full index of moves from nuclear reactor operator

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.