Tanning technician to colour sampling technician
A tanning technician already meets 36% of what the colour sampling technician role asks for. The move turns on 14 required skills not yet in the profile.
64.5/ 100
1 How much of what a colour sampling technician is expected to do is already part of a tanning technician’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 colour sampling technician role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A colour sampling technician role treats 9 of its required skills as things a tanning technician already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- characteristics of chemicals used for tanning
- develop manufacturing recipes
- leather chemistry
- leather colour chemistry
- leather technology
- manage environmental impact of operations
What stands in the way is 14 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 10 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A colour sampling technician role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a tanning technician background worth leading with.
- already held leather colour chemistry engineering, manufacturing and construction
- already held develop manufacturing recipes communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held test chemical auxiliaries information skills
- already held test leather chemistry engineering, manufacturing and construction
- already held characteristics of chemicals used for tanning natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held physico-chemical properties of crust leather natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
All 10 carried skills, including the 9 the colour sampling technician role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 22 missing skills fall into 10 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 work in textile manufacturing teams required
- still to learn adapt to changing situations required
- still to learn create solutions to problems required
- still to learn differentiate nuance of colours required
- still to learn execute working instructions required
- still to learn use color matching techniques required
- still to learn use communication techniques required
- optional, not held liaise with colleagues optional
- still to learn apply colouring recipes required
- still to learn prepare colour mixtures required
- still to learn seek innovation in current practices required
- optional, not held identify defects on raw hides optional
- optional, not held monitor operations in the leather industry optional
- still to learn leather finishing technologies required
- optional, not held spray finishing technology optional
- still to learn manage supplies required
- optional, not held manage staff optional
- still to learn identify with the company's goals required
4 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a colour sampling technician role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 leather finishing technologies study this
- 02 work in textile manufacturing teams practise this
- 03 adapt to changing situations 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 10 skills that carry over
- already held characteristics of chemicals used for tanning knowledge
- already held develop manufacturing recipes skill
- already held leather chemistry knowledge
- already held leather colour chemistry knowledge
- already held leather technology knowledge
- already held manage environmental impact of operations skill
- already held physico-chemical properties of crust leather knowledge
- already held test chemical auxiliaries skill
- already held test leather chemistry knowledge
- already held manage quality of leather throughout the production process skill
The 4 learning areas not shown above
- still to learn source colour chemicals required
- optional, not held health and safety in the workplace optional
- optional, not held use IT tools optional
- optional, not held maintain equipment optional
8 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held identify defects on raw hides optional
- optional, not held spray finishing technology optional
- optional, not held health and safety in the workplace optional
- optional, not held liaise with colleagues optional
- optional, not held maintain equipment optional
- optional, not held manage staff optional
- optional, not held monitor operations in the leather industry optional
- optional, not held use IT tools optional
26 held skills the colour sampling technician role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role apply footwear and leather goods quality control techniques skill
- not needed by the target role comply with legal regulations skill
- not needed by the target role conduct beamhouse operations skill
- not needed by the target role conduct leather finishing operations skill
- not needed by the target role conduct post tanning operations skill
- not needed by the target role conduct re-tanning operations skill
- not needed by the target role design post tanning operations skill
- not needed by the target role emission standards knowledge
- not needed by the target role ensure compliance with environmental legislation skill
- not needed by the target role ensure compliance with safety legislation skill
- not needed by the target role functionalities of machinery knowledge
- not needed by the target role hides, skins and leather products knowledge
- not needed by the target role leather goods components knowledge
- not needed by the target role leather goods materials knowledge
- not needed by the target role leather physical testing knowledge
- not needed by the target role leather products maintenance knowledge
- not needed by the target role manage chemical testing procedures skill
- not needed by the target role manage tanning operations skill
- not needed by the target role physico-chemical properties of hides and skins knowledge
- not needed by the target role plan beamhouse operations skill
- not needed by the target role plan fabric manufacturing process skill
- not needed by the target role plan health and safety procedures skill
- not needed by the target role plan tanning finishing operations skill
- not needed by the target role reduce tanning emissions skill
- not needed by the target role tanning process knowledge
- not needed by the target role work with chemicals skill
4 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn leather finishing technologies required
- still to learn source colour chemicals required
- optional, not held spray finishing technology optional
- optional, not held health and safety in the workplace optional
Common questions about this move
Can a tanning technician become a colour sampling technician?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A tanning technician already covers 36% of what a colour sampling technician is expected to do: 10 skills carry over, 9 of which the colour sampling technician role treats as required.
What skills does a tanning technician need to become a colour sampling technician?
14 required skills are missing, plus 8 optional ones. They fall into 10 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is leather finishing technologies.
How hard is the move from tanning technician to colour sampling technician?
Its learning distance is 64.5 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.