Table 1Transition record

tunnel boring machine operatortoexcavator operator

A tunnel boring machine operator already meets 44% of what the excavator operator role asks for. The move turns on 9 required skills not yet in the profile.

From tunnel boring machine operator

44%

Overlap1

To excavator operator

15 Skills carried over

9 Required, not held

59.1 Difficulty2

Career overlap Partial match

44%

Learning distance Substantial retraining

59.1/ 100

Easy adjacentmoderatesubstantialcareer change Hard

1 Share of the excavator operator role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the tunnel boring 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.

Why

Why this move works

A excavator operator role treats 9 of its required skills as things a tunnel boring machine operator already does. These are the ones it depends on most.

drive mobile heavy construction equipment
follow health and safety procedures in construction
keep heavy construction equipment in good condition
mechanical systems
operate excavator
prevent damage to utility infrastructure

What stands in the way is 9 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 15 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A excavator operator role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a tunnel boring machine operator background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held machinery load capacity engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held operate excavator working with machinery and specialised equipment
already held keep heavy construction equipment in good condition constructing
already held drive mobile heavy construction equipment working with machinery and specialised equipment
already held prevent damage to utility infrastructure management skills
already held mechanical systems engineering, manufacturing and construction

All 15 carried skills, including the 9 the excavator operator role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 23 missing skills fall into 6 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 working with machinery and specialised equipment 3 required, 7 supplementary

required, not held dig sewer trenches required
required, not held dig soil mechanically required
required, not held level earth surface required

optional, not held operate bulldozer optional
optional, not held operate construction scraper optional
optional, not held operate grader optional
optional, not held operate road roller optional
optional, not held secure heavy construction equipment optional
optional, not held operate heavy construction machinery without supervision optional
optional, not held perform minor repairs to equipment optional

02 engineering, manufacturing and construction 2 required

required, not held excavation techniques required
required, not held mechanical tools required

03 information skills 1 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held inspect construction sites required

optional, not held interpret 2D plans optional
optional, not held monitor stock level optional
optional, not held interpret 3D plans optional
optional, not held keep records of work progress optional

04 assisting and caring 1 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held recognise the hazards of dangerous goods required

optional, not held test soil load bearing capacity optional
optional, not held follow safety procedures when working at heights optional

05 handling and moving 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held supply machine with appropriate tools required

optional, not held sort waste optional

06 working with computers 1 required

required, not held operate GPS systems required

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a excavator operator 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 drive mobile heavy construction equipment skill
already held follow health and safety procedures in construction skill
already held keep heavy construction equipment in good condition skill
already held mechanical systems knowledge
already held operate excavator skill
already held prevent damage to utility infrastructure skill
already held react to events in time-critical environments skill
already held use safety equipment in construction skill
already held work ergonomically skill
already held electricity knowledge
already held keep personal administration skill
already held machinery load capacity knowledge
already held set up temporary construction site infrastructure skill
already held transport construction supplies skill
already held work in a construction team skill

14 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held interpret 2D plans optional
optional, not held monitor stock level optional
optional, not held operate bulldozer optional
optional, not held operate construction scraper optional
optional, not held operate grader optional
optional, not held operate road roller optional
optional, not held secure heavy construction equipment optional
optional, not held test soil load bearing capacity optional
optional, not held follow safety procedures when working at heights optional
optional, not held interpret 3D plans optional
optional, not held keep records of work progress optional
optional, not held operate heavy construction machinery without supervision optional
optional, not held perform minor repairs to equipment optional
optional, not held sort waste optional

11 held skills the excavator operator role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role coordinate drilling skill
not needed by the target role determine tunnel boring machine speed skill
not needed by the target role drive tunnel boring machine skill
not needed by the target role install tunnel segments skill
not needed by the target role mechanics knowledge
not needed by the target role monitor excavated material skill
not needed by the target role monitor tunnel boring machine supplies skill
not needed by the target role operate theodolite skill
not needed by the target role switch tunnel boring machine modes skill
not needed by the target role tend boring machine skill
not needed by the target role tunnel boring machine console knowledge

2 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 excavation techniques required
required, not held mechanical tools required

Index

Other moves recorded from tunnel boring machine operator

Full index of moves from tunnel boring 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.