Crosswalk

A crosswalk is a mapping between two classification systems that enables translation without requiring identical structures.

O*NET maintains crosswalks to Military Occupational Classifications, educational programs (CIP codes), the Occupational Outlook Handbook, Standard Occupational Classification (SOC), Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT), apprenticeship programs (RAPIDS), and European classifications (ESCO).

The pattern: Each system has its own hierarchy and granularity. Crosswalks don’t enforce 1:1 relationships, an occupation in one system might map to several in another. What they preserve is findability across boundaries.

Crosswalks solve the interoperability problem without requiring everyone to adopt the same taxonomy. Different communities can maintain their own classification systems while still connecting to a shared backbone.

The cost is maintenance. Every time either system changes, the crosswalk needs updating. But the alternative, forcing everyone into one universal system, typically fails.

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