Soil scientist to agricultural technician
A soil scientist already meets 35% of what the agricultural technician role asks for. The move turns on 5 required skills not yet in the profile.
65/ 100
1 How much of what an agricultural technician is expected to do is already part of a soil scientist’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 agricultural technician role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
An agricultural technician role treats 5 of its required skills as things a soil scientist already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- apply safety procedures in laboratory
- conduct field work
- gather experimental data
- laboratory techniques
- write work-related reports
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 12 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. An agricultural technician role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a soil scientist background worth leading with.
- already held inspect agricultural fields information skills
- already held advise on fertiliser and herbicide communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held soil science natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held sustainable agricultural production principles agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary
- already held plant harvest methods agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary
- already held agricultural equipment agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary
All 12 carried skills, including the 5 the agricultural technician role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 31 missing skills fall into 6 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 analyse environmental data required
- still to learn analyse scientific data required
- still to learn analyse test data required
- still to learn execute analytical mathematical calculations required
- optional, not held monitor fisheries optional
- optional, not held assess crop damage optional
- optional, not held evaluate vineyard problems optional
- optional, not held evaluate vineyard quality optional
- optional, not held collect weather-related data optional
- optional, not held research improvement of crop yields optional
- still to learn maintain laboratory equipment required
- optional, not held aeroponics optional
- optional, not held agricultural raw materials, seeds and animal feed products optional
- optional, not held aquaculture industry optional
- optional, not held horticulture principles optional
- optional, not held hydroponics optional
- optional, not held viticulture optional
- optional, not held aquaculture reproduction optional
- optional, not held integrated food-energy systems optional
- optional, not held culture aquaculture hatchery stocks optional
- optional, not held irrigate soil optional
- optional, not held maintain aquaculture containers optional
- optional, not held maintain tanks for viticulture optional
- optional, not held maintain waterbased aquaculture facilities optional
- optional, not held manage crop production optional
- optional, not held monitor crops optional
- optional, not held advise on crop diseases optional
- optional, not held prevent crop disorders optional
- optional, not held provide advice to farmers optional
- optional, not held agricultural chemicals optional
- optional, not held chemistry optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries an agricultural technician role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 analyse environmental data practise this
- 02 analyse scientific data practise this
- 03 analyse test data 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 12 skills that carry over
- already held apply safety procedures in laboratory skill
- already held conduct field work skill
- already held gather experimental data skill
- already held laboratory techniques knowledge
- already held write work-related reports skill
- already held advise on fertiliser and herbicide skill
- already held agricultural equipment knowledge
- already held biology knowledge
- already held inspect agricultural fields skill
- already held plant harvest methods knowledge
- already held soil science knowledge
- already held sustainable agricultural production principles knowledge
26 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held monitor fisheries optional
- optional, not held advise on crop diseases optional
- optional, not held aeroponics optional
- optional, not held agricultural raw materials, seeds and animal feed products optional
- optional, not held aquaculture industry optional
- optional, not held assess crop damage optional
- optional, not held culture aquaculture hatchery stocks optional
- optional, not held evaluate vineyard problems optional
- optional, not held evaluate vineyard quality optional
- optional, not held horticulture principles optional
- optional, not held hydroponics optional
- optional, not held irrigate soil optional
- optional, not held maintain aquaculture containers optional
- optional, not held maintain tanks for viticulture optional
- optional, not held maintain waterbased aquaculture facilities optional
- optional, not held manage crop production optional
- optional, not held monitor crops optional
- optional, not held prevent crop disorders optional
- optional, not held provide advice to farmers optional
- optional, not held viticulture optional
- optional, not held agricultural chemicals optional
- optional, not held aquaculture reproduction optional
- optional, not held chemistry optional
- optional, not held collect weather-related data optional
- optional, not held integrated food-energy systems optional
- optional, not held research improvement of crop yields optional
42 held skills the agricultural technician role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role European pesticide legislation knowledge
- not needed by the target role adjust surveying equipment skill
- not needed by the target role advise on nature conservation skill
- not needed by the target role advise on pollution prevention skill
- not needed by the target role advise on soil and water protection skill
- not needed by the target role agroforestry knowledge
- not needed by the target role agronomical production principles knowledge
- not needed by the target role agronomy knowledge
- not needed by the target role apply sustainable tillage techniques skill
- not needed by the target role climate change impact knowledge
- not needed by the target role collect samples skill
- not needed by the target role collect samples for analysis skill
- not needed by the target role conduct land surveys skill
- not needed by the target role conduct soil sample tests skill
- not needed by the target role conservation agriculture knowledge
- not needed by the target role crop production principles knowledge
- not needed by the target role develop irrigation strategies skill
- not needed by the target role develop scientific research protocols skill
- not needed by the target role ecology knowledge
- not needed by the target role ensure soil fertility skill
- not needed by the target role environmental engineering knowledge
- not needed by the target role environmental legislation knowledge
- not needed by the target role fertilisation principles knowledge
- not needed by the target role geology knowledge
- not needed by the target role government policy knowledge
- not needed by the target role habitat restoration knowledge
- not needed by the target role hydrology knowledge
- not needed by the target role implement biodiversity action plans skill
- not needed by the target role irrigation systems knowledge
- not needed by the target role liaise with crop growers skill
- not needed by the target role operate surveying instruments skill
- not needed by the target role perform laboratory tests skill
- not needed by the target role perform scientific research skill
- not needed by the target role plant propagation knowledge
- not needed by the target role pollution prevention knowledge
- not needed by the target role prepare surveying report skill
- not needed by the target role record survey data skill
- not needed by the target role scientific literature knowledge
- not needed by the target role soil mechanics knowledge
- not needed by the target role soil structure knowledge
2 further entries not listed here
10 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- optional, not held aeroponics optional
- optional, not held agricultural raw materials, seeds and animal feed products optional
- optional, not held aquaculture industry optional
- optional, not held horticulture principles optional
- optional, not held hydroponics optional
- optional, not held viticulture optional
- optional, not held agricultural chemicals optional
- optional, not held aquaculture reproduction optional
- optional, not held chemistry optional
- optional, not held integrated food-energy systems optional
Common questions about this move
Can a soil scientist become an agricultural technician?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A soil scientist already covers 35% of what an agricultural technician is expected to do: 12 skills carry over, 5 of which the agricultural technician role treats as required.
What skills does a soil scientist need to become an agricultural technician?
5 required skills are missing, plus 26 optional ones. They fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is analyse environmental data.
How hard is the move from soil scientist to agricultural technician?
Its learning distance is 65 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.