Table 1Transition record

second officertoco-pilot

A second officer already meets 46% of what the co-pilot role asks for. The move turns on 23 required skills not yet in the profile.

From second officer

46%

Overlap1

To co-pilot

24 Skills carried over

23 Required, not held

65.5 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 65.5

This move: 65.5 of 100 · substantial

1 Share of the co-pilot role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the second officer profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 24 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A co-pilot role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a second officer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held ensure smooth on board operations management skills
already held inspect aircraft information skills
already held undertake procedures to meet aircraft flight requirements assisting and caring
already held respond to changing navigation circumstances communication, collaboration and creativity
already held ensure ongoing compliance with regulations assisting and caring
already held read 3D displays information skills

All 24 carried skills, including the 20 the co-pilot role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 28 missing skills fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 working with machinery and specialised equipment 8 required

required, not held apply signalling control procedures required
required, not held operate two-way radio systems required
required, not held perform flight manoeuvres required
required, not held perform take off and landing required
required, not held undertake procedures to meet requirements for flying aircraft heavier than 5,700 kg required
required, not held operate radar equipment required
required, not held operate radio equipment required
required, not held operate radio navigation instruments required

02 assisting and caring 3 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held comply with air traffic control operations required
required, not held ensure compliance with civil aviation regulations required
required, not held implement airside safety procedures required

optional, not held be friendly to passengers optional

03 information skills 3 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held analyse work-related written reports required
required, not held have spatial awareness required
required, not held read maps required

optional, not held analyse weather forecast optional

04 services 3 required

required, not held air traffic control operations required
required, not held civil aviation regulations required
required, not held visual flight rules required

05 communication, collaboration and creativity 2 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held apply transportation management concepts required
required, not held use different communication channels required

optional, not held communicate with customers optional
optional, not held write work-related reports optional

06 management skills 2 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held create a flight plan required
required, not held prepare transportation routes required

optional, not held tolerate stress optional

2 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a co-pilot 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 24 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held air transport law knowledge
already held aircraft flight control systems knowledge
already held airport planning knowledge
already held aviation meteorology knowledge
already held common aviation safety regulations knowledge
already held deal with challenging work conditions skill
already held ensure aircraft compliance with regulation skill
already held ensure ongoing compliance with regulations skill
already held ensure public safety and security skill
already held ensure smooth on board operations skill
already held follow verbal instructions skill
already held geographic areas knowledge
already held handle stressful situations in the work place skill
already held inspect aircraft skill
already held interpret visual literacy skill
already held operate cockpit control panels skill
already held perform routine flight operations checks skill
already held read 3D displays skill
already held undertake procedures to meet aircraft flight requirements skill
already held use meteorological information skill
already held apply airport standards and regulations skill
already held carry out navigational calculations skill
already held geostationary satellites knowledge
already held respond to changing navigation circumstances skill

The 2 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 constructing 1 required

required, not held run preventive simulations required

08 handling and moving 1 required

required, not held balance transportation cargo required

5 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held be friendly to passengers optional
optional, not held tolerate stress optional
optional, not held analyse weather forecast optional
optional, not held communicate with customers optional
optional, not held write work-related reports optional

12 held skills the co-pilot role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role address aircraft mechanical issues skill
not needed by the target role airport safety regulations knowledge
not needed by the target role comply with checklists skill
not needed by the target role consider economic criteria in decision making skill
not needed by the target role electrical systems used in transportation knowledge
not needed by the target role electronics knowledge
not needed by the target role ensure compliance with airport security measures skill
not needed by the target role have computer literacy skill
not needed by the target role launching of satellites into orbit knowledge
not needed by the target role make independent operating decisions skill
not needed by the target role perform aircraft maintenance skill
not needed by the target role undertake procedures to meet helicopter flight requirements skill

3 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 acquire Tier

required, not held air traffic control operations required
required, not held civil aviation regulations required
required, not held visual flight rules required

Index

Other moves recorded from second officer

Full index of moves from second officer

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.