Production engineer to surface engineer
A production engineer already meets 43% of what the surface engineer role asks for. The move turns on 5 required skills not yet in the profile.
56.5/ 100
1 How much of what a surface engineer is expected to do is already part of a production 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 surface engineer role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A surface engineer role treats 10 of its required skills as things a production engineer already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- adjust engineering designs
- approve engineering design
- engineering principles
- engineering processes
- industrial engineering
- manufacturing processes
What stands in the way is 5 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 10 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A surface engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a production engineer background worth leading with.
- already held industrial engineering engineering, manufacturing and construction
- already held production processes engineering, manufacturing and construction
- already held approve engineering design communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held manufacturing processes engineering, manufacturing and construction
- already held use technical drawing software working with computers
- already held technical drawings engineering, manufacturing and construction
All 10 carried skills, including the 10 the surface engineer role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 28 missing skills fall into 8 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 safety engineering required
- still to learn surface engineering required
- optional, not held ferrous metal processing optional
- optional, not held mechanical engineering optional
- optional, not held electrical engineering optional
- optional, not held material mechanics optional
- optional, not held non-destructive testing optional
- optional, not held semiconductors optional
- optional, not held soldering techniques optional
- optional, not held types of metal optional
- optional, not held welding techniques optional
- still to learn corrosion types required
- still to learn mathematics required
- optional, not held chemistry optional
- optional, not held physics optional
- still to learn execute analytical mathematical calculations required
- optional, not held analyse stress resistance of materials optional
- optional, not held analyse test data optional
- optional, not held develop material testing procedures optional
- optional, not held recognise signs of corrosion optional
- optional, not held record test data optional
- optional, not held apply phosphate coating to metal workpiece optional
- optional, not held parkerise metal workpiece optional
- optional, not held use non-destructive testing equipment optional
- optional, not held galvanise metal workpiece optional
- optional, not held environmental legislation optional
2 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a surface engineer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 corrosion types study this
- 02 execute analytical mathematical calculations practise this
- 03 mathematics study this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 10 skills that carry over
- already held adjust engineering designs skill
- already held approve engineering design skill
- already held engineering principles knowledge
- already held engineering processes knowledge
- already held industrial engineering knowledge
- already held manufacturing processes knowledge
- already held perform scientific research skill
- already held production processes knowledge
- already held technical drawings knowledge
- already held use technical drawing software skill
The 2 learning areas not shown above
- optional, not held computer simulation optional
- optional, not held hazardous waste types optional
23 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held apply phosphate coating to metal workpiece optional
- optional, not held parkerise metal workpiece optional
- optional, not held ferrous metal processing optional
- optional, not held mechanical engineering optional
- optional, not held use non-destructive testing equipment optional
- optional, not held analyse stress resistance of materials optional
- optional, not held analyse test data optional
- optional, not held chemistry optional
- optional, not held computer simulation optional
- optional, not held develop material testing procedures optional
- optional, not held electrical engineering optional
- optional, not held environmental legislation optional
- optional, not held galvanise metal workpiece optional
- optional, not held hazardous waste types optional
- optional, not held material mechanics optional
- optional, not held non-destructive testing optional
- optional, not held physics optional
- optional, not held recognise signs of corrosion optional
- optional, not held record test data optional
- optional, not held semiconductors optional
- optional, not held soldering techniques optional
- optional, not held types of metal optional
- optional, not held welding techniques optional
28 held skills the surface engineer role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role adjust production schedule skill
- not needed by the target role advise on machinery malfunctions skill
- not needed by the target role analyse production processes for improvement skill
- not needed by the target role assess financial viability skill
- not needed by the target role continuous improvement philosophies knowledge
- not needed by the target role control financial resources skill
- not needed by the target role control of expenses skill
- not needed by the target role control production skill
- not needed by the target role develop product design skill
- not needed by the target role ensure equipment availability skill
- not needed by the target role ensure equipment maintenance skill
- not needed by the target role estimate duration of work skill
- not needed by the target role execute feasibility study on hydrogen skill
- not needed by the target role identify training needs skill
- not needed by the target role implement quality management systems skill
- not needed by the target role inspect quality of products skill
- not needed by the target role integrate new products in manufacturing skill
- not needed by the target role lead process optimisation skill
- not needed by the target role lean manufacturing knowledge
- not needed by the target role maintain relationship with suppliers skill
- not needed by the target role manage budgets skill
- not needed by the target role manage human resources skill
- not needed by the target role manage staff skill
- not needed by the target role optimise production skill
- not needed by the target role production engineering knowledge
- not needed by the target role quality standards knowledge
- not needed by the target role schedule production skill
- not needed by the target role set production facilities standards skill
18 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 corrosion types required
- still to learn mathematics required
- still to learn safety engineering required
- still to learn surface engineering required
- optional, not held ferrous metal processing optional
- optional, not held mechanical engineering optional
- optional, not held chemistry optional
- optional, not held computer simulation optional
- optional, not held electrical engineering optional
- optional, not held environmental legislation optional
- optional, not held hazardous waste types optional
- optional, not held material mechanics optional
- optional, not held non-destructive testing optional
- optional, not held physics optional
- optional, not held semiconductors optional
- optional, not held soldering techniques optional
- optional, not held types of metal optional
- optional, not held welding techniques optional
Common questions about this move
Can a production engineer become a surface engineer?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A production engineer already covers 43% of what a surface engineer is expected to do: 10 skills carry over, 10 of which the surface engineer role treats as required.
What skills does a production engineer need to become a surface engineer?
5 required skills are missing, plus 23 optional ones. They fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by engineering, manufacturing and construction. The single most important is corrosion types.
How hard is the move from production engineer to surface engineer?
Its learning distance is 56.5 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.