Career Overlap Transition record
RecordMove

Offshore renewable energy engineer to solar energy engineer

An offshore renewable energy engineer already meets 43% of what the solar energy engineer role asks for. The move turns on 18 required skills not yet in the profile.

Fig. 1 · Skill transfer ESCO v1.2.1 · directional
From offshore renewable energy engineer
43 % overlap
Partial match
To solar energy engineer
30 You already bring
18 Still to learn
72 Skills in the target role2
Learning distance Substantial retraining

67.8/ 100

1 How much of what a solar energy engineer is expected to do is already part of an offshore renewable energy engineer’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 solar energy engineer role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.

Why

Why this move works

A solar energy engineer role treats 15 of its required skills as things an offshore renewable energy engineer already does. You would walk in with these on day one.

  • adjust engineering designs
  • adjust voltage
  • approve engineering design
  • conduct engineering site audits
  • electrical engineering
  • energy

What stands in the way is 18 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 30 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A solar energy engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of an offshore renewable energy engineer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area
  • already held types of photovoltaic panels engineering, manufacturing and construction
  • already held conduct engineering site audits information skills
  • already held run simulations information skills
  • already held adjust voltage working with machinery and specialised equipment
  • already held utilise decision support system working with computers
  • already held electricity market business, administration and law

All 30 carried skills, including the 15 the solar energy engineer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you may need to learn

The 42 missing skills fall into 10 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 7 required, 5 supplementary
  • still to learn energy micro-generation technologies required
  • still to learn photovoltaic systems required
  • still to learn alternative energy required
  • still to learn power engineering required
  • still to learn solar energy required
  • still to learn solar products required
  • still to learn sustainable technologies required
  • optional, not held battery design optional
  • optional, not held smart grids systems optional
  • optional, not held fluid mechanics optional
  • optional, not held industrial heating systems optional
  • optional, not held state estimation optional
02 working with machinery and specialised equipment 3 required, 1 supplementary
  • still to learn maintain concentrated solar power systems required
  • still to learn operate solar thermal energy systems for hot water and heating required
  • still to learn maintain solar energy systems required
  • optional, not held maintain photovoltaic systems optional
03 information skills 2 required, 4 supplementary
  • still to learn perform feasibility study on solar heating required
  • still to learn examine engineering principles required
  • optional, not held inspect facility sites optional
  • optional, not held perform a feasibility study on solar absorption cooling optional
  • optional, not held analyse test data optional
  • optional, not held calculate solar panel orientation optional
04 communication, collaboration and creativity 2 required, 3 supplementary
  • still to learn design a solar heating system required
  • still to learn design solar energy systems required
  • optional, not held design a solar absorption cooling system optional
  • optional, not held design thermal equipment optional
  • optional, not held troubleshoot optional
05 working with computers 2 required, 3 supplementary
  • still to learn use thermal analysis required
  • still to learn create CAD drawings required
  • optional, not held use specific data analysis software optional
  • optional, not held perform data mining optional
  • optional, not held use CAD software optional
06 assisting and caring 1 required, 1 supplementary
  • still to learn provide information on solar panels required
  • optional, not held wear appropriate protective gear optional

4 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a solar energy 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 30 skills that carry over
Skill Type
  • already held adjust engineering designs skill
  • already held adjust voltage skill
  • already held approve engineering design skill
  • already held conduct engineering site audits skill
  • already held electrical engineering knowledge
  • already held energy knowledge
  • already held energy market knowledge
  • already held engineering principles knowledge
  • already held engineering processes knowledge
  • already held manage engineering project skill
  • already held perform scientific research skill
  • already held promote sustainable energy skill
  • already held technical drawings knowledge
  • already held types of photovoltaic panels knowledge
  • already held use technical drawing software skill
  • already held analyse big data skill
  • already held assess financial viability skill
  • already held data storage knowledge
  • already held draw blueprints skill
  • already held electricity market knowledge
  • already held information extraction knowledge
  • already held perform project management skill
  • already held read engineering drawings skill
  • already held renewable energy knowledge
  • already held run simulations skill
  • already held statistical analysis system software knowledge
  • already held test procedures in electricity transmission skill
  • already held unstructured data knowledge
  • already held utilise decision support system skill
  • already held utilise machine learning skill
The 4 learning areas not shown above
Skill to pick up Tier
07 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 required
  • still to learn thermodynamics required
08 information and communication technologies (icts) 4 supplementary
  • optional, not held cloud technologies optional
  • optional, not held data mining optional
  • optional, not held information structure optional
  • optional, not held data analytics optional
09 business, administration and law 2 supplementary
  • optional, not held business intelligence optional
  • optional, not held quality standards optional
10 arts and humanities 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held visual presentation techniques optional
24 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
Skill to pick up Tier
  • optional, not held use specific data analysis software optional
  • optional, not held battery design optional
  • optional, not held cloud technologies optional
  • optional, not held data mining optional
  • optional, not held design a solar absorption cooling system optional
  • optional, not held design thermal equipment optional
  • optional, not held information structure optional
  • optional, not held inspect facility sites optional
  • optional, not held maintain photovoltaic systems optional
  • optional, not held perform a feasibility study on solar absorption cooling optional
  • optional, not held perform data mining optional
  • optional, not held smart grids systems optional
  • optional, not held visual presentation techniques optional
  • optional, not held analyse test data optional
  • optional, not held business intelligence optional
  • optional, not held calculate solar panel orientation optional
  • optional, not held data analytics optional
  • optional, not held fluid mechanics optional
  • optional, not held industrial heating systems optional
  • optional, not held quality standards optional
  • optional, not held state estimation optional
  • optional, not held troubleshoot optional
  • optional, not held use CAD software optional
  • optional, not held wear appropriate protective gear optional
44 held skills the solar energy engineer role does not ask for
Skill Type
  • not needed by the target role address problems critically skill
  • not needed by the target role advise on offshore renewable energies subjects skill
  • not needed by the target role automation technology knowledge
  • not needed by the target role conduct underwater surveys skill
  • not needed by the target role coordinate communication within a team skill
  • not needed by the target role coordinate electricity generation skill
  • not needed by the target role design automation components skill
  • not needed by the target role design offshore energy systems skill
  • not needed by the target role develop strategies for electricity contingencies skill
  • not needed by the target role develop test procedures skill
  • not needed by the target role electrical power safety regulations knowledge
  • not needed by the target role ensure compliance with environmental legislation in food production skill
  • not needed by the target role ensure compliance with safety legislation skill
  • not needed by the target role follow safety procedures when working at heights skill
  • not needed by the target role innovation processes knowledge
  • not needed by the target role inspect offshore constructions skill
  • not needed by the target role marine energy knowledge
  • not needed by the target role marine engineering knowledge
  • not needed by the target role marine technology knowledge
  • not needed by the target role maritime electric drives knowledge
  • not needed by the target role maritime law knowledge
  • not needed by the target role mechatronics knowledge
  • not needed by the target role oceanography knowledge
  • not needed by the target role offshore constructions and facilities knowledge
  • not needed by the target role offshore renewable energy technologies knowledge
  • not needed by the target role operate meteorological instruments skill
  • not needed by the target role oversee pre-assembly operations skill
  • not needed by the target role perform data analysis skill
  • not needed by the target role perform hydrodynamics calculations skill
  • not needed by the target role prevent marine pollution skill
  • not needed by the target role report test findings skill
  • not needed by the target role research locations for offshore farms skill
  • not needed by the target role research ocean energy projects skill
  • not needed by the target role respond to electrical power contingencies skill
  • not needed by the target role review meteorological forecast data skill
  • not needed by the target role sensors knowledge
  • not needed by the target role survive at sea in the event of ship abandonment skill
  • not needed by the target role test sensors skill
  • not needed by the target role types of tidal stream generators knowledge
  • not needed by the target role types of wave energy converters knowledge

4 further entries not listed here

20 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 energy micro-generation technologies required
  • still to learn photovoltaic systems required
  • still to learn alternative energy required
  • still to learn power engineering required
  • still to learn solar energy required
  • still to learn solar products required
  • still to learn sustainable technologies required
  • still to learn thermodynamics required
  • optional, not held battery design optional
  • optional, not held cloud technologies optional
  • optional, not held data mining optional
  • optional, not held information structure optional
  • optional, not held smart grids systems optional
  • optional, not held visual presentation techniques optional
  • optional, not held business intelligence optional
  • optional, not held data analytics optional
  • optional, not held fluid mechanics optional
  • optional, not held industrial heating systems optional
  • optional, not held quality standards optional
  • optional, not held state estimation optional
Index

Other moves recorded from offshore renewable energy engineer

Full index of moves from offshore renewable energy engineer

FAQ

Common questions about this move

Can an offshore renewable energy engineer become a solar energy engineer?

Yes, and it is a substantial move. An offshore renewable energy engineer already covers 43% of what a solar energy engineer is expected to do: 30 skills carry over, 15 of which the solar energy engineer role treats as required.

What skills does an offshore renewable energy engineer need to become a solar energy engineer?

18 required skills are missing, plus 24 optional ones. They fall into 10 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by engineering, manufacturing and construction. The single most important is design a solar heating system.

How hard is the move from offshore renewable energy engineer to solar energy engineer?

Its learning distance is 67.8 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.