Job Outlook Advice

[andertone]

Hey y’all! First time posting in here, but slightly been following for a month or so now.
I’m currently heading to ADTC in January, pushing my DX license date to beginning of February.

For those that have been in the industry for a while and have an idea of job outlook, how is it around January/February? I know we aren’t able to project anything, but I’m just really curious of a consensus from the past-although Covid made hiring (from what I’ve seen) crazy. I am currently leaving an aviation job for this school and a bit nervous if I’m quite frank regarding job hiring.

 

[Delta Echo]

The first question is if you are willing to re-locate for the first and possibly second dispatch job before landing at a destination airline?

Next, regionals and supplemental 121 operators will always have openings and given there own turnover, I tend to think you will sit well on the front of securing a dispatch job. Historically, majors have always pawned off flying on regionals and any severe economic downturn can't be counted out. Currently, though the majors are taking on more of the flying thanks largely to the pilot hiring need.

As for the destination airlines, there will be openings but how many and when are questions I can't answer.

 

[CrashesDrones]

I started my dispatcher course last January, getting my license if February. I had three offers by the end of class, and then ended up getting a better one before starting the one of those I was going to take. There definitely were some that wanted to start classes earlier so those were missed opportunities, but I don't think a lot of training happens over the holidays just in general for any career so there's some added demand at the start of the year. With Southwest, Delta, and United presumably taking people from regionals next year, I don't think you'll have any issue getting your first job out of class.

Given you're in aviation, I assume you've accepted you'll be starting at a regional and relocating for your first job wherever it ends up.

 

[andertone]

The first question is if you are willing to re-locate for the first and possibly second dispatch job before landing at a destination airline?

Next, regionals and supplemental 121 operators will always have openings and given there own turnover, I tend to think you will sit well on the front of securing a dispatch job. Historically, majors have always pawned off flying on regionals and any severe economic downturn can't be counted out. Currently, though the majors are taking on more of the flying thanks largely to the pilot hiring need.

As for the destination airlines, there will be openings but how many and when are questions I can't answer.

I’d be willing to move, especially since I’ve done it before. Used to be a FA. Now work as an agent but was on the ramp before transitioning to agent. Was cross trained but since knowing I’m quitting in December, there’s no use to keeping my cross trained status so I’m sticking as an agent until the time being.

 

[andertone]

I started my dispatcher course last January, getting my license if February. I had three offers by the end of class, and then ended up getting a better one before starting the one of those I was going to take. There definitely were some that wanted to start classes earlier so those were missed opportunities, but I don't think a lot of training happens over the holidays just in general for any career so there's some added demand at the start of the year. With Southwest, Delta, and United presumably taking people from regionals next year, I don't think you'll have any issue getting your first job out of class.

Given you're in aviation, I assume you've accepted you'll be starting at a regional and relocating for your first job wherever it ends up.

Thank you!
Unfortunately since I’ll have to resigned from my position, I would have to start all over with seniority and a new airline. I tried seeing if there’s any leave but I’m not able to. I tried getting with PDT DX Trainee, and got to my second interview but they unfortunately hired all locals-which sucks but it is what it is

 

[Bustedcropdusta]

As others have said, be willing to relocate. I moved hundreds of miles away for my first job at a regional and will have to do the same all over again when I go the mainline (more on that in a bit). I got my DX cert early last summer and received 4 offers from various regionals but ultimately chose the one that made the most sense to me. Some things to consider when choosing a regional would be:

• average desk load
• union vs non union airlines
• cost of living
• flight benefits (if you like to travel or are commuting)
• length and level of initial operating training

At the end of the day these are just extra things to consider if you have the luxury of having multiple options. I happened to be finishing school at a time when multiple airlines were hiring so I was lucky in that regard. However, when talking with the newest group that got hired it seems that they did not have as many options and / or many just weren't hiring as much.

AA just had something like 10 Envoy dispatchers flow into them, then they have an external class coming in as well next month. Southwest is hiring up to 40 for a January class. United tries to hire at least 20 for every academy and they have at least 4 classes scheduled for next year. With the most recent exercise option in their already massive aircraft order, I would only expect classes to continue into 2025. Delta has a November class (of all internals) and another allegedly planned for the spring. You also still have Frontier and Breeze that are currently hiring, and a few cargo operations that are hiring or periodically open up (although not as much in that sector recently due to downturn).

I say all that to make two points:

• The staffing vacuum created by majors in the regional environment (although not as bad as it was a year ago) looks to still be in a thing well into the foreseeable future.
• Where you want to go and what you want to do in this industry is completely up to you.
  • You want to travel the world? Work towards a legacy.
  • Favor Quality of Life and would rather live in a specific city or region? Odds are there's some sort of operation that'll fit that need.
  • Want to be the guy that dispatches the JANET aircraft back and forth to Groom Lake? there's even a posting for that! the world is your oyster.

Best of luck to you in your schooling! Study as much as you can and keep your ear to the ground and eyes on this forum. There is a lot of great information on here from some really knowledgeable people.

 

[andertone]

As others have said, be willing to relocate. I moved hundreds of miles away for my first job at a regional and will have to do the same all over again when I go the mainline (more on that in a bit). I got my DX cert early last summer and received 4 offers from various regionals but ultimately chose the one that made the most sense to me. Some things to consider when choosing a regional would be:

• average desk load
• union vs non union airlines
• cost of living
• flight benefits (if you like to travel or are commuting)
• length and level of initial operating training

At the end of the day these are just extra things to consider if you have the luxury of having multiple options. I happened to be finishing school at a time when multiple airlines were hiring so I was lucky in that regard. However, when talking with the newest group that got hired it seems that they did not have as many options and / or many just weren't hiring as much.

AA just had something like 10 Envoy dispatchers flow into them, then they have an external class coming in as well next month. Southwest is hiring up to 40 for a January class. United tries to hire at least 20 for every academy and they have at least 4 classes scheduled for next year. With the most recent exercise option in their already massive aircraft order, I would only expect classes to continue into 2025. Delta has a November class (of all internals) and another allegedly planned for the spring. You also still have Frontier and Breeze that are currently hiring, and a few cargo operations that are hiring or periodically open up (although not as much in that sector recently due to downturn).

I say all that to make two points:

• The staffing vacuum created by majors in the regional environment (although not as bad as it was a year ago) looks to still be in a thing well into the foreseeable future.
• Where you want to go and what you want to do in this industry is completely up to you.
  • You want to travel the world? Work towards a legacy.
  • Favor Quality of Life and would rather live in a specific city or region? Odds are there's some sort of operation that'll fit that need.
  • Want to be the guy that dispatches the JANET aircraft back and forth to Groom Lake? there's even a posting for that! the world is your oyster.

Best of luck to you in your schooling! Study as much as you can and keep your ear to the ground and eyes on this forum. There is a lot of great information on here from some really knowledgeable people.

Thank you so much!

I would 100% be willing to move. I want QOL forsure and I believe that would outweigh location more than anything-though my heart will remain where Publix is at with my Whataburger. I enjoy my AA bennies though, but I definitely want a place that I could travel with.


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[Pepwave1]

ADTC…if you’re already committed to that, good for you.

Also take a look at North American Flight Control…less expensive…and each of their classes has toured the OCC at Endeavor.

Start applying in your 2nd or 3rd week of Dispatch School. Make sure your technical knowledge is solid.

Last and most importantly: I just moved to a different regional and can say with confidence that a wholly owned regional is likely the best option. endeavor, PSA, and Piedmont all have mainline flight benefits…and seem to be more in tune with local cost of living for those airlines.

It’s the cost of living that you really have to worry about that first year or two. You should be able to pay your rent with one week of wages.
—————
The simple math here is: look at apartments.com or trulia.

Find the average cost of what you’re comfortable living in…for instance a studio or 1 bedroom. We’ll call this cost APT.

Now take APT, multiply it times 4…then divide by 160 (40 hours in a work week x 4 weeks)

4(APT)/160= $X
X= the hourly wage you need to live comfortably in an area.
——————————

Best of luck! And as always, my advice is to avoid airlines in or on the verge of bankruptcy.

 

[Stumped]

—————
The simple math here is: look at apartments.com or trulia.

Find the average cost of what you’re comfortable living in…for instance a studio or 1 bedroom. We’ll call this cost APT.

Now take APT, multiply it times 4…then divide by 160 (40 hours in a work week x 4 weeks)

4(APT)/160= $X
X= the hourly wage you need to live comfortably in an area.
——————————

Or you could just divide APT by 40 and get the same result. APT/40=x