What's the employment outlook for new dispatchers in 2009?

LittleWing

New Member
I'd like to re-career into the profession of Flight Dispatcher but am concerned that the current economy will make it impossible to find a job after completing the Sheffield dispatch training school.

What is the current job market like in this horrible economy?
 
Re: What's the employment outlook for new dispatchers in 200

LW,

Try these guys and maybe they can give you some independent info. They appear to be a professional association rather than someone trying to "sell" you a training course.

http://www.dispatcher.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

My guess, and it's only a guess, is that the av industry downturn may be putting hiring on hold but I certainly haven't surveyed the whole industry to know for sure.

Good luck with your plans.
 
Re: What's the employment outlook for new dispatchers in 200

I believe that Pinnacle, PSA, or one of the Republic holding companys airlines will be hiring off and on through this year. Even in this economy I had one former student get hired on at Pinnacle recently. Dont expect the pay to be wonderful though especially at PSA.
 
Re: What's the employment outlook for new dispatchers in 200

I'd like to re-career into the profession of Flight Dispatcher but am concerned that the current economy will make it impossible to find a job after completing the Sheffield dispatch training school.

What is the current job market like in this horrible economy?

LW

What is your current profession? How old are you? Do you have a family? Sorry if these questions might seem a little personal, but you came here for advice. You must first assess your situation. What I will tell you FROM MY OPINNION and experience, is that there will always be a need for dispatchers, quite simply because very few people outside of the industry know about this job. BUT, to be successful in this business requires ALOT of sacrifices, compromises and relocating. If you've got family, make sure they are well aware and can handle the starting pay in the mid to high 20's annually. If you can manage with that pay and be able to move for the job I would say go for it. Dispatching is a very rewarding career, once you have worked in it long enough and have moved up from the crappy starting jobs. Just ask manniax who works for a major. I work for a casino charter in east jesus nowhere, where the rewards are few and far between. But that is what is required in order to be sucessful. I know that my wife and I almost parted ways because of my decision to take this job without doing a complete and full assessment to the surroundings that I have put us inn. I'am happy to say that we will not be here very much longer and yes we are still together. Yes, you will always have a job in dispatch, but take it from me, do your homework first and determine if it is financially feasible for you and your family. If you are a single guy/girl I think skies the limit wherever you go because of the luxury of having the jumpseat privilage in your back pocket, but again do the research. Not all companies have those interline agreements.

Good luck on your future endeavors.

mission
 
Re: What's the employment outlook for new dispatchers in 200

LW

What is your current profession? How old are you? Do you have a family? Sorry if these questions might seem a little personal, but you came here for advice. You must first assess your situation. What I will tell you FROM MY OPINNION and experience, is that there will always be a need for dispatchers, quite simply because very few people outside of the industry know about this job. BUT, to be successful in this business requires ALOT of sacrifices, compromises and relocating. If you've got family, make sure they are well aware and can handle the starting pay in the mid to high 20's annually. If you can manage with that pay and be able to move for the job I would say go for it. Dispatching is a very rewarding career, once you have worked in it long enough and have moved up from the crappy starting jobs. Just ask manniax who works for a major. I work for a casino charter in east jesus nowhere, where the rewards are few and far between. But that is what is required in order to be sucessful. I know that my wife and I almost parted ways because of my decision to take this job without doing a complete and full assessment to the surroundings that I have put us inn. I'am happy to say that we will not be here very much longer and yes we are still together. Yes, you will always have a job in dispatch, but take it from me, do your homework first and determine if it is financially feasible for you and your family. If you are a single guy/girl I think skies the limit wherever you go because of the luxury of having the jumpseat privilage in your back pocket, but again do the research. Not all companies have those interline agreements.

Good luck on your future endeavors.

mission

I am single, unemployed, and 42 years old.

I used to make a fantastic living in sales management, but burnt out on it long ago. (It wasn't the job that burnt me out; it was the petty Machiavellian politics).

Since 2006, I have been trying to find a profession that appeals to one of my core interests. I've always been an aviation nut, took flight lessons for a bit, and was a weather forecaster in the Navy. Taking all these things into consideration, Flight Dispatch seems to marry my love of aviation, my old Navy background, and my analytical personality.

I know the job starts in the mid-20's. I'm okay with that; I've been living cheap for several years now. Being single, I am willing to move just about anywhere in the US to get experience. I only hope that my age, 42, is not an issue.
 
Re: What's the employment outlook for new dispatchers in 200

I am single, unemployed, and 42 years old.

I used to make a fantastic living in sales management, but burnt out on it long ago. (It wasn't the job that burnt me out; it was the petty Machiavellian politics).

Since 2006, I have been trying to find a profession that appeals to one of my core interests. I've always been an aviation nut, took flight lessons for a bit, and was a weather forecaster in the Navy. Taking all these things into consideration, Flight Dispatch seems to marry my love of aviation, my old Navy background, and my analytical personality.

I know the job starts in the mid-20's. I'm okay with that; I've been living cheap for several years now. Being single, I am willing to move just about anywhere in the US to get experience. I only hope that my age, 42, is not an issue.

Your age wont be the issue. I'd say go for it.
 
Re: What's the employment outlook for new dispatchers in 200

I am single, unemployed, and 42 years old.

I used to make a fantastic living in sales management, but burnt out on it long ago. (It wasn't the job that burnt me out; it was the petty Machiavellian politics).

Since 2006, I have been trying to find a profession that appeals to one of my core interests. I've always been an aviation nut, took flight lessons for a bit, and was a weather forecaster in the Navy. Taking all these things into consideration, Flight Dispatch seems to marry my love of aviation, my old Navy background, and my analytical personality.

I know the job starts in the mid-20's. I'm okay with that; I've been living cheap for several years now. Being single, I am willing to move just about anywhere in the US to get experience. I only hope that my age, 42, is not an issue.

Moving is almost a guarantee unless you're very lucky and live somewhere that has a regional who is currently hiring. Your age shouldn't prevent you from getting an entry-level job, and I'd say with your weather background you would have a leg up on other new hires without experience. That being said, your age COULD make it more difficult to make the jump to a major down the road since you usually need at a minimum of two years of dispatch experience first (I'd say the average is more like four or five.)

Now, my airline (which is a major) has hired people in their late 40's and even early 50's so I'm not saying you'd never make it or anything like that...just that HR tends to like hiring younger people if all things are equal, since they know that person will not be retiring for 20+ years.

Some regionals are good places to work at and people end up making a career of them because they like the area and the company...several people at my last carrier have done that, and I know several people at SkyWest that have done that also. The pay is not what you'd make at a major but the cost of living is generally lower than in a big city also.

I don't know how many regionals are going to be doing hiring this year but I have seen some jobs posted on my old dispatch school's web site, so I'd say you would have a shot...it might take a bit longer to find one than if the economy was booming though.
 
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