Table 1Transition record

surface engineertoaerospace engineer

A surface engineer already meets 45% of what the aerospace engineer role asks for. The move turns on 7 required skills not yet in the profile.

From surface engineer

45%

Overlap1

To aerospace engineer

15 Skills carried over

7 Required, not held

58 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 58

This move: 58 of 100 · substantial

1 Share of the aerospace engineer role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the surface engineer 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 15 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A aerospace engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a surface engineer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held computer simulation information and communication technologies (icts)
already held safety engineering engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held industrial engineering engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held material mechanics engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held production processes engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held approve engineering design communication, collaboration and creativity

All 15 carried skills, including the 12 the aerospace engineer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 32 missing skills fall into 13 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 engineering, manufacturing and construction 2 required, 5 supplementary

required, not held aerospace engineering required
required, not held aircraft mechanics required

optional, not held guidance, navigation and control optional
optional, not held unmanned air systems optional
optional, not held aerodynamics optional
optional, not held fluid mechanics optional
optional, not held state estimation optional

02 information skills 2 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held assess financial viability required
required, not held execute feasibility study required

optional, not held analyse production processes for improvement optional
optional, not held oversee assembly operations optional

03 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held troubleshoot required

optional, not held create a product's virtual model optional
optional, not held design prototypes optional
optional, not held draft design specifications optional

04 assisting and caring 1 required

required, not held ensure aircraft compliance with regulation required

05 business, administration and law 1 required

required, not held quality standards required

06 management skills 5 supplementary

optional, not held plan test flights optional
optional, not held apply advanced manufacturing optional
optional, not held control production optional
optional, not held develop test procedures optional
optional, not held manage product testing optional

7 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a aerospace engineer 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 adjust engineering designs skill
already held approve engineering design skill
already held computer simulation knowledge
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 safety engineering knowledge
already held technical drawings knowledge
already held use technical drawing software skill
already held material mechanics knowledge
already held mechanical engineering knowledge
already held record test data skill

The 7 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 2 supplementary

optional, not held synthetic natural environment optional
optional, not held mathematical modelling optional

08 services 2 supplementary

optional, not held defense system optional
optional, not held stealth technology optional

09 working with computers 2 supplementary

optional, not held use CAD software optional
optional, not held use CAM software optional

10 arts and humanities 1 supplementary

optional, not held design principles optional

11 constructing 1 supplementary

optional, not held conduct performance tests optional

12 handling and moving 1 supplementary

optional, not held build a product's physical model optional

13 information and communication technologies (icts) 1 supplementary

optional, not held CAE software optional

25 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held defense system optional
optional, not held guidance, navigation and control optional
optional, not held plan test flights optional
optional, not held stealth technology optional
optional, not held synthetic natural environment optional
optional, not held unmanned air systems optional
optional, not held CAE software optional
optional, not held aerodynamics optional
optional, not held analyse production processes for improvement optional
optional, not held apply advanced manufacturing optional
optional, not held build a product's physical model optional
optional, not held conduct performance tests optional
optional, not held control production optional
optional, not held create a product's virtual model optional
optional, not held design principles optional
optional, not held design prototypes optional
optional, not held develop test procedures optional
optional, not held draft design specifications optional
optional, not held fluid mechanics optional
optional, not held manage product testing optional
optional, not held mathematical modelling optional
optional, not held oversee assembly operations optional
optional, not held state estimation optional
optional, not held use CAD software optional
optional, not held use CAM software optional

23 held skills the aerospace engineer role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role analyse stress resistance of materials skill
not needed by the target role analyse test data skill
not needed by the target role apply phosphate coating to metal workpiece skill
not needed by the target role chemistry knowledge
not needed by the target role corrosion types knowledge
not needed by the target role develop material testing procedures skill
not needed by the target role electrical engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role environmental legislation knowledge
not needed by the target role execute analytical mathematical calculations skill
not needed by the target role ferrous metal processing knowledge
not needed by the target role galvanise metal workpiece skill
not needed by the target role hazardous waste types knowledge
not needed by the target role mathematics knowledge
not needed by the target role non-destructive testing knowledge
not needed by the target role parkerise metal workpiece skill
not needed by the target role physics knowledge
not needed by the target role recognise signs of corrosion skill
not needed by the target role semiconductors knowledge
not needed by the target role soldering techniques knowledge
not needed by the target role surface engineering knowledge
not needed by the target role types of metal knowledge
not needed by the target role use non-destructive testing equipment skill
not needed by the target role welding techniques knowledge

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 acquire Tier

required, not held aerospace engineering required
required, not held aircraft mechanics required
required, not held quality standards required
optional, not held defense system optional
optional, not held guidance, navigation and control optional
optional, not held stealth technology optional
optional, not held synthetic natural environment optional
optional, not held unmanned air systems optional
optional, not held CAE software optional
optional, not held aerodynamics optional
optional, not held design principles optional
optional, not held fluid mechanics optional
optional, not held mathematical modelling optional
optional, not held state estimation optional

Index

Other moves recorded from surface engineer

Full index of moves from surface engineer

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.