Physics technician to geology technician
A physics technician already meets 30% of what the geology technician role asks for. The move turns on 14 required skills not yet in the profile.
74/ 100
1 How much of what a geology technician is expected to do is already part of a physics 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 geology technician role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A geology technician role treats 9 of its required skills as things a physics technician already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- apply safety procedures in laboratory
- apply scientific methods
- apply statistical analysis techniques
- assist scientific research
- collect samples for analysis
- execute analytical mathematical calculations
What stands in the way is 14 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 14 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A geology technician role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a physics technician background worth leading with.
- already held geophysics natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held interpret geophysical data information skills
- already held apply safety procedures in laboratory assisting and caring
- already held assist scientific research communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held geology natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held apply statistical analysis techniques information skills
All 14 carried skills, including the 9 the geology technician role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 44 missing skills fall into 9 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 collect geological data required
- still to learn test raw minerals required
- still to learn conduct field work required
- still to learn perform sample testing required
- still to learn record test data required
- optional, not held assist with geophysical surveys optional
- optional, not held conduct soil sample tests optional
- optional, not held monitor geotechnical structures optional
- optional, not held plan geotechnical investigations in the field optional
- optional, not held archive scientific documentation optional
- optional, not held collect data using GPS optional
- optional, not held create GIS reports optional
- optional, not held investigate soil stability optional
- optional, not held prepare surveying report optional
- optional, not held process data optional
- optional, not held study aerial photos optional
- still to learn prepare scientific reports required
- still to learn write production reports required
- optional, not held advise on geology for mineral extraction optional
- optional, not held liaise with geology professionals optional
- optional, not held negotiate land access optional
- optional, not held prepare geological map sections optional
- optional, not held provide information on geological characteristics optional
- optional, not held provide technical expertise optional
- optional, not held train employees optional
- optional, not held troubleshoot optional
- still to learn geological time scale required
- still to learn percolation required
- optional, not held geographic information systems optional
- optional, not held geochemistry optional
- optional, not held geodesy optional
- still to learn collect samples required
- still to learn prepare samples for testing required
- optional, not held maintain cores optional
- still to learn work ergonomically required
- optional, not held assess environmental impact optional
- still to learn cartography required
3 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a geology technician 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 · The rest of the record
All 14 skills that carry over
- already held apply safety procedures in laboratory skill
- already held apply scientific methods skill
- already held apply statistical analysis techniques skill
- already held assist scientific research skill
- already held collect samples for analysis skill
- already held execute analytical mathematical calculations skill
- already held mathematics knowledge
- already held scientific research methodology knowledge
- already held statistics knowledge
- already held geology knowledge
- already held geophysics knowledge
- already held interpret geophysical data skill
- already held perform laboratory tests skill
- already held physics knowledge
The 3 learning areas not shown above
- still to learn operate scientific measuring equipment required
- optional, not held develop geological databases optional
- optional, not held use geographic information systems optional
- optional, not held apply digital mapping optional
- optional, not held create thematic maps optional
- optional, not held use spreadsheets software optional
- optional, not held environmental legislation optional
30 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held advise on geology for mineral extraction optional
- optional, not held assist with geophysical surveys optional
- optional, not held conduct soil sample tests optional
- optional, not held develop geological databases optional
- optional, not held geographic information systems optional
- optional, not held liaise with geology professionals optional
- optional, not held maintain cores optional
- optional, not held monitor geotechnical structures optional
- optional, not held negotiate land access optional
- optional, not held plan geotechnical investigations in the field optional
- optional, not held prepare geological map sections optional
- optional, not held provide information on geological characteristics optional
- optional, not held use geographic information systems optional
- optional, not held apply digital mapping optional
- optional, not held archive scientific documentation optional
- optional, not held assess environmental impact optional
- optional, not held collect data using GPS optional
- optional, not held create GIS reports optional
- optional, not held create thematic maps optional
- optional, not held environmental legislation optional
- optional, not held geochemistry optional
- optional, not held geodesy optional
- optional, not held investigate soil stability optional
- optional, not held prepare surveying report optional
- optional, not held process data optional
- optional, not held provide technical expertise optional
- optional, not held study aerial photos optional
- optional, not held train employees optional
- optional, not held troubleshoot optional
- optional, not held use spreadsheets software optional
19 held skills the geology technician role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role acoustics knowledge
- not needed by the target role analyse experimental laboratory data skill
- not needed by the target role analyse scientific data skill
- not needed by the target role astronomy knowledge
- not needed by the target role calibrate laboratory equipment skill
- not needed by the target role communicate with external laboratories skill
- not needed by the target role densiometry knowledge
- not needed by the target role gather experimental data skill
- not needed by the target role laboratory techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role maintain laboratory equipment skill
- not needed by the target role observe matter skill
- not needed by the target role operate remote sensing equipment skill
- not needed by the target role operate telescopes skill
- not needed by the target role quantum computing knowledge
- not needed by the target role quantum mechanics knowledge
- not needed by the target role report analysis results skill
- not needed by the target role thermodynamics knowledge
- not needed by the target role use measurement instruments skill
- not needed by the target role write scientific publications skill
7 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 cartography required
- still to learn geological time scale required
- still to learn percolation required
- optional, not held geographic information systems optional
- optional, not held environmental legislation optional
- optional, not held geochemistry optional
- optional, not held geodesy optional
Common questions about this move
Can a physics technician become a geology technician?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A physics technician already covers 30% of what a geology technician is expected to do: 14 skills carry over, 9 of which the geology technician role treats as required.
What skills does a physics technician need to become a geology technician?
14 required skills are missing, plus 30 optional ones. They fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is cartography.
How hard is the move from physics technician to geology technician?
Its learning distance is 74 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.