How to change Kerbal career?

[miklkit]

I have come up with a need for more Engineers.  I have lots of Pilots and plenty of Scientists but do not have enough Engineers for the jobs that need them. 

I have searched and found something about changing them in the save ->default ->persistent.sfs.  Tried that and changed some candidates, went into the game and hired them as Engineers, and then went to start training them and found they had reverted to their old careers.  What am I doing wrong?

[Caerfinon]

20 minutes ago, miklkit said:

I have come up with a need for more Engineers. 

You could go into the debug menu and use the create Kerbal feature.  See-> https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/Debug_Toolbar  at the bottom of the article. 

 

[miklkit]

Thanks.  I did not know about this feature, but it is not helping me now as I have altered some applicants and hired them, and then they have reverted to their old careers.  I want to change them permanently.  Just firing them means they will stay in the applicants list cluttering it up.

[Kryxal]

I suppose, if you want them gone permanently, there's an easy fix: either SPLAT or SPLASH!  Build a rocket with no chutes and fire them off!

I tend to run a lot of rescue missions, so I'm sort of overflowing on all types right now...

[miklkit]

I've thought about that and rejected it.  I want to change their careers but have not found any way to do that.  One would think that it would be easy to do.

[Superfluous J]

The easy way is to install a mod. It's been a while since I played but I remember Better Specialization Settings being able to do this.

[miklkit]

Thanks, but this does not seem to be compatible with KSP v1.12. 

[king of nowhere]

On 10/10/2023 at 6:20 PM, miklkit said:

I've thought about that and rejected it.  I want to change their careers but have not found any way to do that.  One would think that it would be easy to do.

why won't you hire new ones?

[Superfluous J]

I opened a save file and found this:
 

	ROSTER
	{
		KERBAL
		{
			name = Jebediah Kerman
			gender = Male
			type = Crew
			trait = Pilot
...
		KERBAL
		{
			name = Bill Kerman
			gender = Male
			type = Crew
			trait = Engineer
...
		KERBAL
		{
			name = Bob Kerman
			gender = Male
			type = Crew
			trait = Scientist

I mean it's right there may as well try. Just change "trait" to whatever you want your Kerbal to be.

Back up the save first, of course. Always back up the save first.

[miklkit]

Yes that is the persistent .sfs file.  I have changed a career there, saved, exited, started the game, hired them and it showed them as engineers.  Exited and restarted KSP and they revert to scientist.  Exit and enter persistent.sfs in "default" and change them again, save and exit, then start KSP and they are back at scientists again.