Where to go to Dispatcher school?

E

E6Birdman

Well-Known Member
I'm thinking about going to an Aircraft Dispatcher school in a couple of years and would like your inputs. I looked on the FAA's website and saw a list of schools that are certified. Thoughts?
 
Everyone is gonna throw in their alma mater and its really gonna come down to what you think is best after your research. So allow me to be as unbiased as I can coming from a guy who's conducted a few dispatch interviews in the past.

Sheffield does indeed live up to the hype and more often than not when I conduct interviews, the Sheffield guys are leagues ahead of the competition. Sheffield is one of those things that excites me to see on a resume.

IFOD and Jeppesen round out the top three. I've seen plenty of quality candidates from here too but have learned that there are some things they don't teach that a dispatcher really needs to know in an interview. They're not part of the PTS, but still darned important.

Would stay away from Flight Safety. Perhaps it's coincidence, but the weakest dispatchers I've met came from here.

Academy College is also an up and coming program that puts a lot of focus on creating working dispatchers and not just getting the license. They're 12 weeks instead of the standard 5 but from what I've read, they essentially employ you as fictional dispatchers at the airline and teach you to think in that manner. They're grads have no real track record from the ones I've seen, most are really good, but met a few that concerned me.

Good luck no matter what your choice!
 
MT said:
Everyone is gonna throw in their alma mater and its really gonna come down to what you think is best after your research. So allow me to be as unbiased as I can coming from a guy who's conducted a few dispatch interviews in the past.

Sheffield does indeed live up to the hype and more often than not when I conduct interviews, the Sheffield guys are leagues ahead of the competition. Sheffield is one of those things that excites me to see on a resume.

IFOD and Jeppesen round out the top three. I've seen plenty of quality candidates from here too but have learned that there are some things they don't teach that a dispatcher really needs to know in an interview. They're not part of the PTS, but still darned important.

Would stay away from Flight Safety. Perhaps it's coincidence, but the weakest dispatchers I've met came from here.

Academy College is also an up and coming program that puts a lot of focus on creating working dispatchers and not just getting the license. They're 12 weeks instead of the standard 5 but from what I've read, they essentially employ you as fictional dispatchers at the airline and teach you to think in that manner. They're grads have no real track record from the ones I've seen, most are really good, but met a few that concerned me.

Good luck no matter what your choice!
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Thanks MT. I'm a retired Navy Flight Engineer with over 4900 hours in a heavy Boeing 707 and will be at least a Private Pilot by then so I feel that it should be relatively not so difficult to do really well in whatever school I decide to go to. Do any of the schools you listed have agreements with any airlines? Is there a good site to go to find job openings?
 
I myself went to FlightSafety, and I can honestly say I am far from a "weak dispatcher". I will admit that some of the people I have seen (and went to class with) should not have even been able to receive their license let alone be allowed to remain in the course. FlightSafety is essentially a mill, but I was living in NYC, had to work, and the ability to go to class from 0800-1200 for 12 weeks (vs. 6) really fit my lifestyle at the time. I knew alot about aviation when I went into Dispatch school, and was quite familiar with alot of the policies of Part 121 operations. I did my time at a regional, then went to work in the Supplemental world where I have learned volumes of information. I am now getting ready to take on a new adventure as a Dispatch Instructor at FedEx that starts in just a couple weeks.
No matter where you go to school, you will get out of this industry what you put in...hard work and determination pay off. Good luck where ever you go.
 
Good dispatchers can and do come from all schools. As planefan said, you ge out what you put in. What you've said does explain why I've seen so many weaker ones come through there. Thanks for the explanation!
 
Go to a place where you have to bust your butt. Then, get a job and really bust your butt. Stay a reasonable person and remember to be with your family and friends and have fun and drink beer and go to movies and play golf (badly). Stay humble and earn respect. Keep your ethics and call BS when BS truly appears. Be on the lookout for pitfalls. If you are lucky and find some success, find a couple of people who are truly deserving of it and help them up the ladder. That's how it goes pretty much. The people I look up to exhibit those qualities.
 
Go to a place where you have to bust your butt. Then, get a job and really bust your butt. Stay a reasonable person and remember to be with your family and friends and have fun and drink beer and go to movies and play golf (badly). Stay humble and earn respect. Keep your ethics and call BS when BS truly appears. Be on the lookout for pitfalls. If you are lucky and find some success, find a couple of people who are truly deserving of it and help them up the ladder. That's how it goes pretty much. The people I look up to exhibit those qualities.
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Nicely said sir!
 
E6Birdman said:
Thanks MT. I'm a retired Navy Flight Engineer with over 4900 hours in a heavy Boeing 707 and will be at least a Private Pilot by then so I feel that it should be relatively not so difficult to do really well in whatever school I decide to go to. Do any of the schools you listed have agreements with any airlines? Is there a good site to go to find job openings?
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Most dispatch schools will provide a job opening board for their graduates. However the best way is to just look for yourself. I almost missed a mainline posting because my Alma Mater didn't post the job until 4 days after I had seen it. It happens. Usually they're pretty good. No school has any formal agreement with an airline as far as hiring new dispatcher's goes. Airlines prefer some graduates of schools over others. Yes, I've heard of an airline that prefers candidates from a certain school over Sheffield!

Where you run into agreements is when airlines provide scholarships to current employees looking to get their dispatch licenses. With the amount of dispatchers out there this is a very rare thing indeed, and you sign your life away to the company for a good couple of years. The dispatch school I used to teach for had a gentleman's agreement with an airline and provided mock interviews which sometimes turned into being a real interview.
 
MT said:
Most dispatch schools will provide a job opening board for their graduates. However the best way is to just look for yourself. I almost missed a mainline posting because my Alma Mater didn't post the job until 4 days after I had seen it. It happens. Usually they're pretty good. No school has any formal agreement with an airline as far as hiring new dispatcher's goes. Airlines prefer some graduates of schools over others. Yes, I've heard of an airline that prefers candidates from a certain school over Sheffield!

Where you run into agreements is when airlines provide scholarships to current employees looking to get their dispatch licenses. With the amount of dispatchers out there this is a very rare thing indeed, and you sign your life away to the company for a good couple of years. The dispatch school I used to teach for had a gentleman's agreement with an airline and provided mock interviews which sometimes turned into being a real interview.
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Thanks again MT. Where do you suggest the best place to search for these jobs is?
 
ljg said:
Go to a place where you have to bust your butt. Then, get a job and really bust your butt. Stay a reasonable person and remember to be with your family and friends and have fun and drink beer and go to movies and play golf (badly). Stay humble and earn respect. Keep your ethics and call BS when BS truly appears. Be on the lookout for pitfalls. If you are lucky and find some success, find a couple of people who are truly deserving of it and help them up the ladder. That's how it goes pretty much. The people I look up to exhibit those qualities.
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Good advice, but I'm not much of one for golf. :) Of course I realize you are speaking generally there. Still, it's easy advice to follow since if I did play golf I am sure it would be badly.
 
PlaneFan82 said:
I myself went to FlightSafety, and I can honestly say I am far from a "weak dispatcher". I will admit that some of the people I have seen (and went to class with) should not have even been able to receive their license let alone be allowed to remain in the course. FlightSafety is essentially a mill, but I was living in NYC, had to work, and the ability to go to class from 0800-1200 for 12 weeks (vs. 6) really fit my lifestyle at the time. I knew alot about aviation when I went into Dispatch school, and was quite familiar with alot of the policies of Part 121 operations. I did my time at a regional, then went to work in the Supplemental world where I have learned volumes of information. I am now getting ready to take on a new adventure as a Dispatch Instructor at FedEx that starts in just a couple weeks.
No matter where you go to school, you will get out of this industry what you put in...hard work and determination pay off. Good luck where ever you go.
Click to expand...

I think that you learn the vast majority of how to be a dispatcher by...being a dispatcher, AFTER you get your license and get hired. Still, a good foundation in the basics does help and I'm glad I attended the school I did.

Off topic a bit, but does FedEx ever hire just regular dispatchers? You're the third person I've seen who got hired to be an instructor there vs. a regular dispatcher. Congrats on the new gig though, they sound like a really good company.
 
manniax said:
I think that you learn the vast majority of how to be a dispatcher by...being a dispatcher, AFTER you get your license and get hired. Still, a good foundation in the basics does help and I'm glad I attended the school I did.

Off topic a bit, but does FedEx ever hire just regular dispatchers? You're the third person I've seen who got hired to be an instructor there vs. a regular dispatcher. Congrats on the new gig though, they sound like a really good company.
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Some years back they did hire a bunch of Pinnacle people and totally went external looking for experience but looks like most all the regular dispatch spots are going to people internal without experience. FedEx has tuition reimbursement so you have a lot of people here that have a dispatch ticket..Including me.
 
I think that you learn the vast majority of how to be a dispatcher by...being a dispatcher, AFTER you get your license and get hired. Still, a good foundation in the basics does help and I'm glad I attended the school I did.
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I agree with this 100%.
Off topic a bit, but does FedEx ever hire just regular dispatchers? You're the third person I've seen who got hired to be an instructor there vs. a regular dispatcher. Congrats on the new gig though, they sound like a really good company.
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I am not sure. They asked me if I wanted to go in as a dispatcher on the international side, or if I wanted to go into Training and Standards. I know as far as dispatchers, they primarily go internal. Whenever they post the GOC Specialist positions that is the posting for a dispatcher...when they interview you, they let you know what part of the GOC you are interviewing for, and sometimes give you a choice.
 
PlaneFan82 said:
I agree with this 100%.

I am not sure. They asked me if I wanted to go in as a dispatcher on the international side, or if I wanted to go into Training and Standards. I know as far as dispatchers, they primarily go internal. Whenever they post the GOC Specialist positions that is the posting for a dispatcher...when they interview you, they let you know what part of the GOC you are interviewing for, and sometimes give you a choice.
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Yes in GOC they also have dispatchers that work in freight recovery or the "box side" I believe those dispatchers are not in CASS since a requirement is that they be release qualified. So might want to choose the flight side if CASS is a big deal to you.
 
My position in T&S is Active release qualified, so I am in CASS, and maintain active release authority. I have been without CASS too long, so I am looking forward to having it back.
 
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