Printed circuit board assembler to semiconductor processor
A printed circuit board assembler already meets 34% of what the semiconductor processor role asks for. The move turns on 15 required skills not yet in the profile.
71.5/ 100
1 How much of what a semiconductor processor is expected to do is already part of a printed circuit board assembler’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 semiconductor processor role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A semiconductor processor role treats 7 of its required skills as things a printed circuit board assembler already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- electronics
- ensure conformity to specifications
- integrated circuits
- meet deadlines
- microelectronics
- read assembly drawings
What stands in the way is 15 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 15 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A semiconductor processor role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a printed circuit board assembler background worth leading with.
- already held integrated circuits engineering, manufacturing and construction
- already held semiconductors engineering, manufacturing and construction
- already held operate precision machinery working with machinery and specialised equipment
- already held oversee logistics of finished products management skills
- already held microelectronics engineering, manufacturing and construction
- already held interpret circuit diagrams information skills
All 15 carried skills, including the 7 the semiconductor processor role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 26 missing skills fall into 11 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 measure parts of manufactured products required
- still to learn monitor machine operations required
- still to learn monitor manufacturing quality standards required
- still to learn report defective manufacturing materials required
- optional, not held inspect quality of products optional
- still to learn clean wafers required
- still to learn load electronic circuits onto wafers required
- still to learn polish wafers required
- still to learn remove defective products required
- still to learn imprint circuit design onto wafers required
- still to learn produce semiconductor crystals required
- still to learn slice crystals into wafers required
- optional, not held adjust manufacturing equipment optional
- optional, not held repair electronic components optional
- still to learn inspect semiconductor components required
- optional, not held test semiconductors optional
- optional, not held apply coating to electrical equipment optional
- still to learn wear cleanroom suit required
- optional, not held apply health and safety standards optional
- still to learn LED lighting components required
- optional, not held integrated circuit types optional
5 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a semiconductor processor role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 clean wafers practise this
- 02 imprint circuit design onto wafers practise this
- 03 inspect semiconductor components 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 15 skills that carry over
- already held electronics knowledge
- already held ensure conformity to specifications skill
- already held integrated circuits knowledge
- already held meet deadlines skill
- already held microelectronics knowledge
- already held read assembly drawings skill
- already held semiconductors knowledge
- already held dispose of hazardous waste skill
- already held ensure public safety and security skill
- already held interpret circuit diagrams skill
- already held keep records of work progress skill
- already held operate precision machinery skill
- already held oversee logistics of finished products skill
- already held replace defect components skill
- already held resolve equipment malfunctions skill
The 5 learning areas not shown above
- still to learn microassembly required
- optional, not held quality standards optional
- optional, not held apply technical communication skills optional
- optional, not held carry out shipping orders for parts optional
- optional, not held waste removal regulations optional
11 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held test semiconductors optional
- optional, not held apply coating to electrical equipment optional
- optional, not held carry out shipping orders for parts optional
- optional, not held integrated circuit types optional
- optional, not held waste removal regulations optional
- optional, not held adjust manufacturing equipment optional
- optional, not held apply health and safety standards optional
- optional, not held apply technical communication skills optional
- optional, not held inspect quality of products optional
- optional, not held quality standards optional
- optional, not held repair electronic components optional
33 held skills the semiconductor processor role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role 3D printing process knowledge
- not needed by the target role IPC standards knowledge
- not needed by the target role apply through-hole technology manually skill
- not needed by the target role assemble printed circuit boards skill
- not needed by the target role check for solder defects skill
- not needed by the target role clean components during assembly skill
- not needed by the target role clean printed circuit board skill
- not needed by the target role coat printed circuit board skill
- not needed by the target role determine suitability of materials skill
- not needed by the target role electrochemistry knowledge
- not needed by the target role electroplating knowledge
- not needed by the target role maintain microelectronics skill
- not needed by the target role maintenance of printing machines knowledge
- not needed by the target role maintenance operations knowledge
- not needed by the target role microprocessors knowledge
- not needed by the target role operate 3D computer graphics software skill
- not needed by the target role operate SMT placement equipment skill
- not needed by the target role operate insertion mount machine skill
- not needed by the target role operate printing machinery skill
- not needed by the target role operate wave soldering machine skill
- not needed by the target role pack electronic equipment skill
- not needed by the target role prepare board for soldering skill
- not needed by the target role printed circuit boards knowledge
- not needed by the target role printed circuit boards testing methods knowledge
- not needed by the target role printing materials knowledge
- not needed by the target role printing on large scale machines knowledge
- not needed by the target role printing techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role solder components onto electronic board skill
- not needed by the target role surface-mount technology knowledge
- not needed by the target role test microelectronics skill
- not needed by the target role test printed circuit boards skill
- not needed by the target role through-hole technology knowledge
- not needed by the target role use diagnostic tools for electronic repairs skill
5 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 LED lighting components required
- still to learn microassembly required
- optional, not held integrated circuit types optional
- optional, not held waste removal regulations optional
- optional, not held quality standards optional
Other moves recorded from printed circuit board assembler
Common questions about this move
Can a printed circuit board assembler become a semiconductor processor?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A printed circuit board assembler already covers 34% of what a semiconductor processor is expected to do: 15 skills carry over, 7 of which the semiconductor processor role treats as required.
What skills does a printed circuit board assembler need to become a semiconductor processor?
15 required skills are missing, plus 11 optional ones. They fall into 11 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is clean wafers.
How hard is the move from printed circuit board assembler to semiconductor processor?
Its learning distance is 71.5 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.