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ETA News Release: [04/16/2003]
Contact Name: Elissa Pruett
Phone Number: (202) 693-4676

U.S. Labor Department Releases Spanish Translation of O*NET

Gives Employers and Workers a Helping Hand in Spanish

WASHINGTON—Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today announced the release and availability of the Spanish translation of O*NET to provide better government services to the eight million Hispanics in the U.S. who have limited English proficiency. O*NET, an online resource of the department’s Employment and Training Administration, provides information to help serve the occupational information and career exploration needs of employers and workers seeking jobs.

“O*NET turns mountains of occupational data into timely, targeted information quickly and efficiently, giving employers and workers an invaluable tool to make the best hiring and promotion fit,” said Emily Stover DeRocco, assistant secretary of labor for employment and training. “Making O*NET available in Spanish opens the door to the 21^st century workplace to the single largest non-English speaking population in America.”

Like the original O*NET—Occupational Information Network—the Spanish version is a comprehensive database of worker attributes and job characteristics developed for the U.S. Department of Labor. The O*NET database provides a comprehensive source of occupational descriptors for more than 950 occupations, covering the spectrum of the U.S. economy.

O*NET equips employers with management and human resource tools, such as knowledge, skill, ability and task information that can help grow their businesses. Job seekers can use the service to learn skill requirements for particular fields.

The Spanish O*NET database maintains the same format and structure as the original version to facilitate its incorporation into Spanish language occupational information systems and applications by software developers and vendors. It can be included in state workforce information systems providing services to Hispanics through One-Stop Career Centers. Such systems could also provide links to information about education and training opportunities in English as a second language and occupational skills training.

The department has no current plans to develop a Spanish language version of the O*NET OnLine application but strongly encourages states, public and private organizations to develop Spanish language products and applications incorporating O*NET information.

The translation process was carried out by Aguirre International under a technical support and coordination contract for O*NET OnLine 4.0. Aguirre’s activities included extensive review by bilingual academics and workforce investment professionals from a variety of Hispanic cultures.

The Spanish translation of the O*NET 4.0 database is available for download, at no charge, from http://www.onetcenter.org/developers.html.

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