Career Overlap Transition record
RecordMove

Thermal engineer to heating, ventilation, air conditioning engineer

A thermal engineer already meets 44% of what the heating, ventilation, air conditioning engineer role asks for. The move turns on 15 required skills not yet in the profile.

Fig. 1 · Skill transfer ESCO v1.2.1 · directional
From thermal engineer
44 % overlap
Partial match
To heating, ventilation, air conditioning engineer
27 You already bring
15 Still to learn
72 Skills in the target role2
Learning distance Substantial retraining

67.4/ 100

1 How much of what a heating, ventilation, air conditioning engineer is expected to do is already part of a thermal engineer’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 heating, ventilation, air conditioning engineer role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.

Why

Why this move works

A heating, ventilation, air conditioning engineer role treats 16 of its required skills as things a thermal engineer already does. You would walk in with these on day one.

  • adjust engineering designs
  • approve engineering design
  • assess energy consumption of ventilation systems
  • design an electric heating system
  • design heat pump installations
  • engineering principles

What stands in the way is 15 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 27 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A heating, ventilation, air conditioning engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a thermal engineer background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area
  • already held assess energy consumption of ventilation systems information skills
  • already held design hot water systems communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held distribution of heating cooling and hot water engineering, manufacturing and construction
  • already held identify fitted source for heat pumps management skills
  • already held operate solar thermal energy systems for hot water and heating working with machinery and specialised equipment
  • already held design a solar heating system communication, collaboration and creativity

All 27 carried skills, including the 16 the heating, ventilation, air conditioning engineer role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you may need to learn

The 45 missing skills fall into 8 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 engineering, manufacturing and construction 7 required, 9 supplementary
  • still to learn district heating and cooling required
  • still to learn domestic cooling systems required
  • still to learn electric heating systems required
  • still to learn integrated design required
  • still to learn types of heat pumps required
  • still to learn heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration parts required
  • still to learn hydraulics required
  • optional, not held biogas energy optional
  • optional, not held components of air conditioning systems optional
  • optional, not held geothermal energy systems optional
  • optional, not held domestic heating systems optional
  • optional, not held electrical engineering optional
  • optional, not held energy conservation optional
  • optional, not held industrial heating systems optional
  • optional, not held refrigerants optional
  • optional, not held ventilation systems optional
02 information skills 4 required, 3 supplementary
  • still to learn assess heating and cooling systems required
  • still to learn perform a feasibility study on district heating and cooling required
  • still to learn assess financial viability required
  • still to learn execute feasibility study required
  • optional, not held perform a feasibility study on solar absorption cooling optional
  • optional, not held analyse test data optional
  • optional, not held record test data optional
03 communication, collaboration and creativity 3 required, 6 supplementary
  • still to learn advise on fitted ventilation systems required
  • still to learn design district heating and cooling energy systems required
  • still to learn design heating and cooling emission systems required
  • optional, not held design a combined heat and power system optional
  • optional, not held design geothermal energy systems optional
  • optional, not held design ventilation network optional
  • optional, not held advise architects optional
  • optional, not held advise on machinery malfunctions optional
  • optional, not held draft design specifications optional
04 management skills 1 required, 3 supplementary
  • still to learn determine appropriate heating and cooling system required
  • optional, not held determine internal air quality parameters optional
  • optional, not held create technical plans optional
  • optional, not held lead a team optional
05 constructing 6 supplementary
  • optional, not held integrate biogas energy in buildings optional
  • optional, not held conduct performance tests optional
  • optional, not held install heating boiler optional
  • optional, not held install heating furnace optional
  • optional, not held install heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration ducts optional
  • optional, not held perform test run optional
06 arts and humanities 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held design principles optional

2 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a heating, ventilation, air conditioning 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 27 skills that carry over
Skill Type
  • already held adjust engineering designs skill
  • already held approve engineering design skill
  • already held assess energy consumption of ventilation systems skill
  • already held design an electric heating system skill
  • already held design heat pump installations skill
  • already held engineering principles knowledge
  • already held engineering processes knowledge
  • already held identify fitted source for heat pumps skill
  • already held mechanical engineering knowledge
  • already held mechanics knowledge
  • already held operate solar thermal energy systems for hot water and heating skill
  • already held perform a feasibility study on electric heating skill
  • already held perform a feasibility study on heat pumps skill
  • already held perform scientific research skill
  • already held technical drawings knowledge
  • already held use technical drawing software skill
  • already held combined heat and power generation knowledge
  • already held design a solar absorption cooling system skill
  • already held design a solar heating system skill
  • already held design hot water systems skill
  • already held design passive energy measures skill
  • already held design prototypes skill
  • already held distribution of heating cooling and hot water knowledge
  • already held fluid mechanics knowledge
  • already held operate climate control skill
  • already held perform feasibility study on solar heating skill
  • already held thermodynamics knowledge
The 2 learning areas not shown above
Skill to pick up Tier
07 business, administration and law 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held product data management optional
08 working with computers 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held use CAD software optional
30 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
Skill to pick up Tier
  • optional, not held biogas energy optional
  • optional, not held components of air conditioning systems optional
  • optional, not held design a combined heat and power system optional
  • optional, not held design geothermal energy systems optional
  • optional, not held design ventilation network optional
  • optional, not held determine internal air quality parameters optional
  • optional, not held geothermal energy systems optional
  • optional, not held integrate biogas energy in buildings optional
  • optional, not held perform a feasibility study on solar absorption cooling optional
  • optional, not held advise architects optional
  • optional, not held advise on machinery malfunctions optional
  • optional, not held analyse test data optional
  • optional, not held conduct performance tests optional
  • optional, not held create technical plans optional
  • optional, not held design principles optional
  • optional, not held domestic heating systems optional
  • optional, not held draft design specifications optional
  • optional, not held electrical engineering optional
  • optional, not held energy conservation optional
  • optional, not held industrial heating systems optional
  • optional, not held install heating boiler optional
  • optional, not held install heating furnace optional
  • optional, not held install heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration ducts optional
  • optional, not held lead a team optional
  • optional, not held perform test run optional
  • optional, not held product data management optional
  • optional, not held record test data optional
  • optional, not held refrigerants optional
  • optional, not held use CAD software optional
  • optional, not held ventilation systems optional
27 held skills the heating, ventilation, air conditioning engineer role does not ask for
Skill Type
  • not needed by the target role CAD software knowledge
  • not needed by the target role communicate with customers skill
  • not needed by the target role computational fluid dynamics knowledge
  • not needed by the target role design engineering components skill
  • not needed by the target role design firmware skill
  • not needed by the target role design thermal equipment skill
  • not needed by the target role design thermal requirements skill
  • not needed by the target role develop product design skill
  • not needed by the target role develop software prototype skill
  • not needed by the target role ensure equipment cooling skill
  • not needed by the target role follow company standards skill
  • not needed by the target role heat transfer processes knowledge
  • not needed by the target role interpret 2D plans skill
  • not needed by the target role interpret 3D plans skill
  • not needed by the target role manage engineering project skill
  • not needed by the target role oversee quality control skill
  • not needed by the target role perform a feasibility study on combined heat and power skill
  • not needed by the target role power engineering knowledge
  • not needed by the target role provide information on geothermal heat pumps skill
  • not needed by the target role report test findings skill
  • not needed by the target role sustainable technologies knowledge
  • not needed by the target role thermal materials knowledge
  • not needed by the target role troubleshoot skill
  • not needed by the target role use testing equipment skill
  • not needed by the target role use thermal analysis skill
  • not needed by the target role use thermal management skill
  • not needed by the target role wear appropriate protective gear skill
18 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 district heating and cooling required
  • still to learn domestic cooling systems required
  • still to learn electric heating systems required
  • still to learn integrated design required
  • still to learn types of heat pumps required
  • still to learn heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration parts required
  • still to learn hydraulics required
  • optional, not held biogas energy optional
  • optional, not held components of air conditioning systems optional
  • optional, not held geothermal energy systems optional
  • optional, not held design principles optional
  • optional, not held domestic heating systems optional
  • optional, not held electrical engineering optional
  • optional, not held energy conservation optional
  • optional, not held industrial heating systems optional
  • optional, not held product data management optional
  • optional, not held refrigerants optional
  • optional, not held ventilation systems optional
Index

Other moves recorded from thermal engineer

Full index of moves from thermal engineer

FAQ

Common questions about this move

Can a thermal engineer become a heating, ventilation, air conditioning engineer?

Yes, and it is a substantial move. A thermal engineer already covers 44% of what a heating, ventilation, air conditioning engineer is expected to do: 27 skills carry over, 16 of which the heating, ventilation, air conditioning engineer role treats as required.

What skills does a thermal engineer need to become a heating, ventilation, air conditioning engineer?

15 required skills are missing, plus 30 optional ones. They fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by engineering, manufacturing and construction. The single most important is advise on fitted ventilation systems.

How hard is the move from thermal engineer to heating, ventilation, air conditioning engineer?

Its learning distance is 67.4 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.