United States Department of Labor
Office of Administrative Law Judges Law Library
Note: The DOT was created by the Employment and Training Administration, and was last updated in 1991. It has been replaced by the O*NET.
DICTIONARY OF OCCUPATIONAL TITLES (4th Ed., Rev. 1991) -- PREFATORY NOTE
In the 14 years since the release of the Fourth Edition of the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT), the American workplace has undergone revolutionary change. The skills most in demand are not what they were 14 years ago; educational requirements have steadily increased. Too many of America's young people are entering the world of work inadequately prepared. The resulting dislocation - the so-called "skills gap" - presents those of us who prepare, hire or support American workers with a serious challenge.
The revised Fourth Edition of the DOT is an important part of the Department of Labor's response. It provides an updated picture of the occupations for which America's workforce must be prepared. It details the tasks to be performed and the levels of education that must be achieved. The DOT offers a starting place from which to address issues of training and education, career guidance and employment counseling, job definition and wage restructuring.
We in ETA are pleased to present the revised Fourth Edition DOT. We hope that this update will make it an even more valuable reference for its substantial body of readers.
ROBERTS T. JONES
Assistant Secretary
for Employment and Training