Table 1Transition record

surface-mount technology machine operatortoprinted circuit board test technician

A surface-mount technology machine operator already meets 36% of what the printed circuit board test technician role asks for. The move turns on 17 required skills not yet in the profile.

From surface-mount technology machine operator

36%

Overlap1

To printed circuit board test technician

18 Skills carried over

17 Required, not held

68.9 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 68.9

This move: 68.9 of 100 · substantial

1 Share of the printed circuit board test technician role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the surface-mount technology machine operator 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 18 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A printed circuit board test technician role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a surface-mount technology machine operator background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held operate automated optical inspection machine working with machinery and specialised equipment
already held IPC standards engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held check for solder defects constructing
already held surface-mount technology engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held printed circuit boards information and communication technologies (icts)
already held microelectronics engineering, manufacturing and construction

All 18 carried skills, including the 9 the printed circuit board test technician role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 30 missing skills fall into 11 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 4 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held in-circuit test required
required, not held electronic equipment standards required
required, not held instrument performance elements required
required, not held integrated circuits required

optional, not held through-hole technology optional
optional, not held semiconductors optional

02 constructing 3 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held perform in-circuit test required
required, not held test printed circuit boards required
required, not held perform test run required

optional, not held apply soldering techniques optional
optional, not held maintain test equipment optional
optional, not held test hardware optional

03 communication, collaboration and creativity 2 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held communicate test results to other departments required
required, not held troubleshoot required

optional, not held liaise with engineers optional
optional, not held research equipment needs optional
optional, not held write inspection reports optional

04 information skills 2 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held ensure material compliance required
required, not held measure electrical characteristics required

optional, not held write records for repairs optional

05 assisting and caring 2 required

required, not held abide by regulations on banned materials required
required, not held process customer requests based on the REACh Regulation 1907 2006 required

06 handling and moving 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held send faulty equipment back to assembly line required

optional, not held remove defective products optional

5 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a printed circuit board test technician 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 18 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held check for solder defects skill
already held electronics knowledge
already held ensure conformity to specifications skill
already held inspect quality of products skill
already held interpret circuit diagrams skill
already held printed circuit boards knowledge
already held read assembly drawings skill
already held read standard blueprints skill
already held report defective manufacturing materials skill
already held IPC standards knowledge
already held apply technical communication skills skill
already held keep records of work progress skill
already held microelectronics knowledge
already held monitor machine operations skill
already held operate automated optical inspection machine skill
already held quality standards knowledge
already held resolve equipment malfunctions skill
already held surface-mount technology knowledge

The 5 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 information and communication technologies (icts) 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held printed circuit boards testing methods required

optional, not held hardware testing methods optional

08 business, administration and law 1 required

required, not held quality assurance procedures required

09 management skills 1 required

required, not held meet deadlines required

10 health and welfare 1 supplementary

optional, not held automated optical inspection optional

11 services 1 supplementary

optional, not held waste removal regulations optional

13 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held automated optical inspection optional
optional, not held through-hole technology optional
optional, not held waste removal regulations optional
optional, not held write records for repairs optional
optional, not held apply soldering techniques optional
optional, not held hardware testing methods optional
optional, not held liaise with engineers optional
optional, not held maintain test equipment optional
optional, not held remove defective products optional
optional, not held research equipment needs optional
optional, not held semiconductors optional
optional, not held test hardware optional
optional, not held write inspection reports optional

18 held skills the printed circuit board test technician role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role apply health and safety standards skill
not needed by the target role assemble printed circuit boards skill
not needed by the target role carry out shipping orders for parts skill
not needed by the target role clean printed circuit board skill
not needed by the target role coat printed circuit board skill
not needed by the target role dispose of hazardous waste skill
not needed by the target role ensure public safety and security skill
not needed by the target role maintain electronic systems skill
not needed by the target role operate SMT placement equipment skill
not needed by the target role operate wave soldering machine skill
not needed by the target role oversee logistics of finished products skill
not needed by the target role prepare board for soldering skill
not needed by the target role provide power connection from bus bars skill
not needed by the target role repair electronic components skill
not needed by the target role replace defect components skill
not needed by the target role solder components onto electronic board skill
not needed by the target role use CAM software skill
not needed by the target role use diagnostic tools for electronic repairs skill

11 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 in-circuit test required
required, not held electronic equipment standards required
required, not held instrument performance elements required
required, not held integrated circuits required
required, not held printed circuit boards testing methods required
required, not held quality assurance procedures required
optional, not held automated optical inspection optional
optional, not held through-hole technology optional
optional, not held waste removal regulations optional
optional, not held hardware testing methods optional
optional, not held semiconductors optional

Index

Other moves recorded from surface-mount technology machine operator

Full index of moves from surface-mount technology machine operator

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.