RecordMove

Semiconductor processor to printed circuit board assembler

A semiconductor processor already meets 38% of what the printed circuit board assembler role asks for. The move turns on 8 required skills not yet in the profile.

Fig. 1 · Skill transfer ESCO v1.2.1 · directional

From semiconductor processor

Distant match

To printed circuit board assembler

15 You already bring

8 Still to learn

48 Skills in the target role2

Learning distance Substantial retraining

66.7/ 100

adjacentmoderatesubstantialcareer change

1 How much of what a printed circuit board assembler is expected to do is already part of a semiconductor processor’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 printed circuit board assembler role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.

Why

Why this move works

A printed circuit board assembler role treats 8 of its required skills as things a semiconductor processor already does. You would walk in with these on day one.

electronics
ensure conformity to specifications
ensure public safety and security
integrated circuits
interpret circuit diagrams
meet deadlines

What stands in the way is 8 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 15 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A printed circuit board assembler role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a semiconductor processor background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

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 8 the printed circuit board assembler role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you may need to learn

The 33 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.

Skill to pick up Tier

01 working with machinery and specialised equipment 2 required, 5 supplementary

still to learn operate insertion mount machine required
still to learn coat printed circuit board required

optional, not held maintain microelectronics optional
optional, not held operate SMT placement equipment optional
optional, not held operate printing machinery optional
optional, not held operate wave soldering machine optional
optional, not held use diagnostic tools for electronic repairs optional

02 handling and moving 2 required, 3 supplementary

still to learn assemble printed circuit boards required
still to learn prepare board for soldering required

optional, not held clean printed circuit board optional
optional, not held pack electronic equipment optional
optional, not held clean components during assembly optional

03 engineering, manufacturing and construction 1 required, 4 supplementary

still to learn through-hole technology required

optional, not held IPC standards optional
optional, not held surface-mount technology optional
optional, not held electroplating optional
optional, not held maintenance operations optional

04 constructing 1 required, 3 supplementary

still to learn solder components onto electronic board required

optional, not held test microelectronics optional
optional, not held test printed circuit boards optional
optional, not held check for solder defects optional

05 information and communication technologies (icts) 1 required, 2 supplementary

still to learn printed circuit boards required

optional, not held microprocessors optional
optional, not held printed circuit boards testing methods optional

06 working with computers 1 required

still to learn apply through-hole technology manually required

3 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a printed circuit board assembler 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 15 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held electronics knowledge
already held ensure conformity to specifications skill
already held ensure public safety and security skill
already held integrated circuits knowledge
already held interpret circuit diagrams skill
already held meet deadlines skill
already held read assembly drawings skill
already held semiconductors knowledge
already held dispose of hazardous waste skill
already held keep records of work progress skill
already held microelectronics knowledge
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 3 learning areas not shown above

Skill to pick up Tier

07 arts and humanities 5 supplementary

optional, not held 3D printing process optional
optional, not held maintenance of printing machines optional
optional, not held printing materials optional
optional, not held printing on large scale machines optional
optional, not held printing techniques optional

08 communication, collaboration and creativity 2 supplementary

optional, not held operate 3D computer graphics software optional
optional, not held determine suitability of materials optional

09 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 supplementary

optional, not held electrochemistry optional

25 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to pick up Tier

optional, not held 3D printing process optional
optional, not held IPC standards optional
optional, not held clean printed circuit board optional
optional, not held electrochemistry optional
optional, not held maintain microelectronics optional
optional, not held maintenance of printing machines optional
optional, not held operate 3D computer graphics software optional
optional, not held operate SMT placement equipment optional
optional, not held operate printing machinery optional
optional, not held operate wave soldering machine optional
optional, not held pack electronic equipment optional
optional, not held printing materials optional
optional, not held printing on large scale machines optional
optional, not held surface-mount technology optional
optional, not held test microelectronics optional
optional, not held test printed circuit boards optional
optional, not held check for solder defects optional
optional, not held clean components during assembly optional
optional, not held determine suitability of materials optional
optional, not held electroplating optional
optional, not held maintenance operations optional
optional, not held microprocessors optional
optional, not held printed circuit boards testing methods optional
optional, not held printing techniques optional
optional, not held use diagnostic tools for electronic repairs optional

26 held skills the printed circuit board assembler role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role LED lighting components knowledge
not needed by the target role adjust manufacturing equipment skill
not needed by the target role apply coating to electrical equipment skill
not needed by the target role apply health and safety standards skill
not needed by the target role apply technical communication skills skill
not needed by the target role carry out shipping orders for parts skill
not needed by the target role clean wafers skill
not needed by the target role imprint circuit design onto wafers skill
not needed by the target role inspect quality of products skill
not needed by the target role inspect semiconductor components skill
not needed by the target role integrated circuit types knowledge
not needed by the target role load electronic circuits onto wafers skill
not needed by the target role measure parts of manufactured products skill
not needed by the target role microassembly knowledge
not needed by the target role monitor machine operations skill
not needed by the target role monitor manufacturing quality standards skill
not needed by the target role polish wafers skill
not needed by the target role produce semiconductor crystals skill
not needed by the target role quality standards knowledge
not needed by the target role remove defective products skill
not needed by the target role repair electronic components skill
not needed by the target role report defective manufacturing materials skill
not needed by the target role slice crystals into wafers skill
not needed by the target role test semiconductors skill
not needed by the target role waste removal regulations knowledge
not needed by the target role wear cleanroom suit skill

14 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 pick up Tier

still to learn through-hole technology required
still to learn printed circuit boards required
optional, not held 3D printing process optional
optional, not held IPC standards optional
optional, not held electrochemistry optional
optional, not held maintenance of printing machines optional
optional, not held printing materials optional
optional, not held printing on large scale machines optional
optional, not held surface-mount technology optional
optional, not held electroplating optional
optional, not held maintenance operations optional
optional, not held microprocessors optional
optional, not held printed circuit boards testing methods optional
optional, not held printing techniques optional

Index

Other moves recorded from semiconductor processor

Full index of moves from semiconductor processor

FAQ

Common questions about this move

Can a semiconductor processor become a printed circuit board assembler?

Yes, and it is a substantial move. A semiconductor processor already covers 38% of what a printed circuit board assembler is expected to do: 15 skills carry over, 8 of which the printed circuit board assembler role treats as required.

What skills does a semiconductor processor need to become a printed circuit board assembler?

8 required skills are missing, plus 25 optional ones. They fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by working with machinery and specialised equipment. The single most important is apply through-hole technology manually.

How hard is the move from semiconductor processor to printed circuit board assembler?

Its learning distance is 66.7 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.

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.