Rubber technologist to materials engineer
A rubber technologist already meets 24% of what the materials engineer role asks for. The move turns on 20 required skills not yet in the profile.
78.6/ 100
1 How much of what a materials engineer is expected to do is already part of a rubber technologist’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 materials engineer role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A materials engineer role treats 7 of its required skills as things a rubber technologist already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- adjust engineering designs
- analyse production processes for improvement
- analytical chemistry
- develop material testing procedures
- manufacturing processes
- test chemical samples
What stands in the way is 20 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 materials engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a rubber technologist background worth leading with.
- already held rubber technology engineering, manufacturing and construction
- already held test materials information skills
- already held develop material testing procedures information skills
- already held basic chemicals natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held analytical chemistry natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held test chemical samples information skills
All 10 carried skills, including the 7 the materials engineer role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 37 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 engineering processes required
- still to learn integrated design required
- still to learn sustainable building materials required
- still to learn engineering principles required
- still to learn material mechanics required
- still to learn materials engineering required
- optional, not held envelope systems for buildings optional
- optional, not held green chemistry optional
- optional, not held properties of textile materials optional
- optional, not held types of plastic optional
- optional, not held electricity optional
- optional, not held mechanics optional
- optional, not held semiconductors optional
- optional, not held types of metal optional
- still to learn advanced materials required
- still to learn chemistry required
- still to learn composite materials required
- still to learn thermoplastic materials required
- optional, not held laboratory techniques optional
- still to learn approve engineering design required
- still to learn create solutions to problems required
- still to learn integrate new products in manufacturing required
- optional, not held advise on pollution prevention optional
- optional, not held advise on waste management procedures optional
- optional, not held design prototypes optional
- optional, not held develop chemical products optional
- still to learn develop advanced materials required
- still to learn forecast organisational risks required
- still to learn perform scientific research required
- optional, not held assess the feasibility of implementing developments optional
- still to learn apply health and safety standards required
- still to learn assess environmental impact required
- still to learn perform chemical experiments required
- optional, not held perform laboratory tests optional
3 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a materials engineer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 develop advanced materials practise this
- 02 advanced materials study this
- 03 engineering processes 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 analyse production processes for improvement skill
- already held analytical chemistry knowledge
- already held develop material testing procedures skill
- already held manufacturing processes knowledge
- already held test chemical samples skill
- already held test materials skill
- already held basic chemicals knowledge
- already held quality standards knowledge
- already held rubber technology knowledge
The 3 learning areas not shown above
- still to learn work with chemicals required
- optional, not held pollution legislation optional
- optional, not held define quality standards optional
17 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held envelope systems for buildings optional
- optional, not held green chemistry optional
- optional, not held pollution legislation optional
- optional, not held properties of textile materials optional
- optional, not held types of plastic optional
- optional, not held advise on pollution prevention optional
- optional, not held advise on waste management procedures optional
- optional, not held assess the feasibility of implementing developments optional
- optional, not held define quality standards optional
- optional, not held design prototypes optional
- optional, not held develop chemical products optional
- optional, not held electricity optional
- optional, not held laboratory techniques optional
- optional, not held mechanics optional
- optional, not held perform laboratory tests optional
- optional, not held semiconductors optional
- optional, not held types of metal optional
23 held skills the materials engineer role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role adjust the rubber machines skill
- not needed by the target role analyse stress resistance of materials skill
- not needed by the target role assist scientific research skill
- not needed by the target role check quality of raw materials skill
- not needed by the target role chemical processes knowledge
- not needed by the target role develop green compounding solutions skill
- not needed by the target role develop rubber compound formulas skill
- not needed by the target role handle chemicals skill
- not needed by the target role liaise with engineers skill
- not needed by the target role manage environmental impact of operations skill
- not needed by the target role manage rubber products development skill
- not needed by the target role operate scientific measuring equipment skill
- not needed by the target role physics knowledge
- not needed by the target role polymer chemistry knowledge
- not needed by the target role polymerisation knowledge
- not needed by the target role propose alternative rubber compound ingredients skill
- not needed by the target role provide technical expertise skill
- not needed by the target role quality assurance methodologies knowledge
- not needed by the target role record test data skill
- not needed by the target role synthetic materials knowledge
- not needed by the target role use hand tools skill
- not needed by the target role work safely with chemicals skill
- not needed by the target role write technical reports skill
20 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 advanced materials required
- still to learn engineering processes required
- still to learn integrated design required
- still to learn sustainable building materials required
- still to learn chemistry required
- still to learn composite materials required
- still to learn engineering principles required
- still to learn material mechanics required
- still to learn materials engineering required
- still to learn thermoplastic materials required
- optional, not held envelope systems for buildings optional
- optional, not held green chemistry optional
- optional, not held pollution legislation optional
- optional, not held properties of textile materials optional
- optional, not held types of plastic optional
- optional, not held electricity optional
- optional, not held laboratory techniques optional
- optional, not held mechanics optional
- optional, not held semiconductors optional
- optional, not held types of metal optional
Common questions about this move
Can a rubber technologist become a materials engineer?
Yes, and it is a career change move. A rubber technologist already covers 24% of what a materials engineer is expected to do: 10 skills carry over, 7 of which the materials engineer role treats as required.
What skills does a rubber technologist need to become a materials engineer?
20 required skills are missing, plus 17 optional ones. They fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by engineering, manufacturing and construction. The single most important is develop advanced materials.
How hard is the move from rubber technologist to materials engineer?
Its learning distance is 78.6 out of 100, which is the career change 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.