Where to go to Dispatcher school?

['Cap' Wilson]

Shame on Sheffield for spewing this false narrative that a graduate is far superior to his or her peers from other schools.

The point is all schools issue you a ticket, but not all schools leave you with a solid foundation. Someday, when you are in a position to interview and make hiring decisions you will understand there is a difference in schools and their product. That's not a "false narrative", just reality in a very competitive job market. I don't recall a recent graduate from a well known school who could not read a METAR or PIREP to me, but I've sat through too many interviews with recent graduates of lesser known schools who could read neither. Believe me, two minutes of silence during a job interview is deafening.

 

[F9DXER]

When I was hired as a "wet behind the ears" dispatcher, one question on the test was roughly the following

Based on the following information - fill in the fuel and times for both a domestic and international flight plan
Assume no weather enroute and no head/tail wind

Trip distance 1650 miles
alternate distance 260 miles
aircraft burns 7000 hour
speed 450 miles/hour

burn time
trip ____ ____

alt ____ ____

resv ____ ____

total ____ ____



They were looking to see if you knew the regs and if you could do simple math.

Some people saw that on the new hire test and just left.


Yes some schools do better than others on giving one a solid foundation.



It doesn't matter if you are a business, a school or a person. The product you deliver to your customer determines your reputation.

I always told my kids that they represent us (their parents) to people we will never meet.

I delivered a product (a person) to a customer (society).

How well this person performs in society will determine my reputation.

 

[CRJInTheHeartOfTexas]

The point is all schools issue you a ticket, but not all schools leave you with a solid foundation. Someday, when you are in a position to interview and make hiring decisions you will understand there is a difference in schools and their product. That's not a "false narrative", just reality in a very competitive job market. I don't recall a recent graduate from a well known school who could not read a METAR or PIREP to me, but I've sat through too many interviews with recent graduates of lesser known schools who could read neither. Believe me, two minutes of silence during a job interview is deafening.

No you missed the point, you must be another Sheffield fanboy who thinks he is better than everyone else too.

 

[bilbolinski]

No you missed the point, you must be another Sheffield fanboy who thinks he is better than everyone else too.

From what I can see you missed the point and I doubt you have enough tenure in the industry to understand what he is saying. I do not, but I get the take home message.

And to add my $0.02, as a Sheffield grad I don't have the idea that I'm better than anyone in the industry, but I will say I am confident as hell in what knowledge I have and the actions I take on the floor. But that's just me. Best of luck to ya.

 

[MikeD]

Who the hell cares where anyone went to dispatch school. Seriously.

And of course each school is going to say they turn out the best graduates, that's called marketing. Do your own research, evaluate different schools, and pick one that's the best fit for you.

If you tested and earned your FAA dispatch certificate, that's all that matters at the end of the day. That wet certificate is your license to learn. It's up to you to make the best of that.

Arguing this "my school is better than yours" is a waste of time.

 

[Burrito]

When I was hired as a "wet behind the ears" dispatcher, one question on the test was roughly the following

Based on the following information - fill in the fuel and times for both a domestic and international flight plan
Assume no weather enroute and no head/tail wind

Trip distance 1650 miles
alternate distance 260 miles
aircraft burns 7000 hour
speed 450 miles/hour

burn time
trip ____ ____

alt ____ ____

resv ____ ____

total ____ ____



They were looking to see if you knew the regs and if you could do simple math.

Some people saw that on the new hire test and just left.


Yes some schools do better than others on giving one a solid foundation.



It doesn't matter if you are a business, a school or a person. The product you deliver to your customer determines your reputation.

I always told my kids that they represent us (their parents) to people we will never meet.

I delivered a product (a person) to a customer (society).

How well this person performs in society will determine my reputation.

More importantly has anyone done this yet because I just came up with 34,962 according to US regs, if anyone wants to check that.

 

[bilbolinski]

More importantly has anyone done this yet because I just came up with 34,962 according to US regs, if anyone wants to check that.

Ditto! That's how bored I am tonight lol!

 

[Flagship_dxer]

It only matters where you went to dispatch school if you have the right connections.

 

[DispatcherSam]

Who the hell cares where anyone went to dispatch school. Seriously.

This! And then some!

 

[Heliman81]

Who the hell cares where anyone went to dispatch school. Seriously.
Arguing this "my school is better than yours" is a waste of time.

Exactly This! Once you get some real world experience it wont matter what so ever. Hell, it shouldn't matter at all once you pass your FAA Practical exam.

 

[MT]

Who the hell cares where anyone went to dispatch school. Seriously.

Exactly This! Once you get some real world experience it wont matter what so ever. Hell, it shouldn't matter at all once you pass your FAA Practical exam.

This will be my last post on any dispatch school selection topic.

It is obvious that 99% of the forum belives that all dispatch licensing education is the same and you can choose your school just like you are choosing between Coke, RC or Pepsi. After all, they are all colas and after you drink them you will have similar amounts of calories.

The very nature of this thread is for newcomers who are making that very important decision on what dispatch school they should select. The advice, "Choose any damn one. They're all the same and it doesn't matter where you go," does them no good. The very fact they are coming to this thread is to try to separate out what makes them different. If there were no differences then there would be no reason to have this thread, and the discussion would not have gone on for as long as it has.

To the newcomer who may have read this whole thing. I really don't care where if you went to Sheffield, Jeppesen, IFOD, or Bob's Dispatch School and Tire Center. Good for you for obtaining your license.

However there are a few people that do care, and they are not random screen names on a web forum that are just touting their school or blasting another one. They are the hiring managers that are looking at your resume and deciding if you, Mr. or Ms. No Experience is worth the time of day for an interview, or if you should be round filed.

Each hiring manager has their own opinions on each school and where you went matters to them. They have been doing this long enough to know what kind of dispatchers come out of each school and in an absence of anything else substantial on your resume, that is going to be the impression of you they receive. If you went to a school they have had bad experiences with, likely no interview for you.

So, while your future peers here on Jetcareers are telling you that it doesn't matter. It really doesn't matter to them, myself included. However since I want to help you out I will leave you with my final piece of advice on this topic.

Decide on where you want to go to dispatch school not on convenience, price, and some popular notion on a web forum that it doesn't matter. Decide on where you want to go to dispatch school based on what is likely to get you a job in the field in the least amount of time. Talk to hiring managers, talk face to face with real dispatchers and get their opinions. If you gain a sense that an airline you really want to work at prefers grads of a certain school then factor that in. At the end of the day, decide on which school you think will give you the best chance of success not just for getting the piece of paper, they all do that, but also for landing that first job and having a successful career.

 

[JDRUNNER]

I am just getting into this industry and its a little comical the level of arrogance that some of the Sheffield grads have. I am excited about my new career in dispatch and ready to learn from those that have lots of experience. Notwithstanding, I think my 7 years of college education and law degree trump the 5 week Sheffield course. It seems like many of the Sheffield grads I've read on the forums have the ego of an attorney. Honestly-- how much can you "really" learn in 5 weeks.. get real..Its not like you took the GRE or some other entrance exam to get in or had to write a thesis to get your certificate. The learning in any true profession comes with sweating it out in the trenches and learning from those who are willing to help you. But I agree-- I think we have almost beat this topic into the ground. Cheers!

 

[womanpilot73]

For me personally, it boiled down to a few factors. As with anything I choose to spend money, time, and effort on, I wanted a school that had a proven track record and had a good reputation. There are a handful out there that I could choose from. Once I narrowed them down, it became more about where I wanted to spend my time getting my license. I am not a fan of Dallas so that was not really an option, although I did check them out. Although I enjoy Florida, I did not have a good experience in trying to obtain info about their dispatch program (I sort of fell through the cracks, so to speak). In the end, I love the freaking mountains and my school of choice offered an extended stay hotel that accepted my dog for the duration of the course. In the end, I worked my a$$ off, enjoyed hiking in the mountains, had my pup with me every day, and got my license. My advice? Choose a school that has a proven track record, a good reputation and that fits your personal needs.

 

[MikeD]

You're obviously going to shop around some, and find a fit that works for you. If you pass the dispatcher practical, then the school you went to obviously did something right for your money.

But this notion that the school is somehow the make or break, as these nameless/faceless managers who do hiring seem to think, utterly fails to take into account the individual; and instead unfairly groups people based on just a school name. That's as utterly stupid as only hiring ERAU grad pilots at an airline instead of FBO ones. So forget about interviewing any individuals. I've seen flight school grads such as UND/ERAU worse than FBO ones, and vice versa.

Point being, if an individual knows and understands that the job of the school he goes to is NOT to lead him/her by the hand and spoon feed them answers, but instead understands that a school is to lay the groundwork for the individual to be able to seek out further knowledge and learning on the subject in order to excel themselves; then that individual will be best prepared. And if hiring managers ONLY interview based on what school shows on the resume, then they're very potentially missing out on a possibly great candidate, because they spent too much time grouping all graduates of X or Y school into the same bunch. That doesn't help the company any more than it helps the candidate. It's a disservice to both as well as very poor hiring/interviewing technique.

Hire or don't hire based on the individual.

 

[jinxtacy]

The very nature of this thread is for newcomers who are making that very important decision on what dispatch school they should select. The advice, "Choose any damn one. They're all the same and it doesn't matter where you go," does them no good. The very fact they are coming to this thread is to try to separate out what makes them different. If there were no differences then there would be no reason to have this thread, and the discussion would not have gone on for as long as it has.

Yeah, sorry, I figure this is a beat to death topic, but I figured since this thread was the one linked in the FAQ on the first page it might be tolerable. Thanks for understanding many of my concerns as I begin to wade into a new unknown path.

To the newcomer who may have read this whole thing. I really don't care where if you went to Sheffield, Jeppesen, IFOD, or Bob's Dispatch School and Tire Center. Good for you for obtaining your license.

However there are a few people that do care, and they are not random screen names on a web forum that are just touting their school or blasting another one. They are the hiring managers that are looking at your resume and deciding if you, Mr. or Ms. No Experience is worth the time of day for an interview, or if you should be round filed.

Each hiring manager has their own opinions on each school and where you went matters to them. They have been doing this long enough to know what kind of dispatchers come out of each school and in an absence of anything else substantial on your resume, that is going to be the impression of you they receive. If you went to a school they have had bad experiences with, likely no interview for you.

I just wanted a school that will teach the material completely, practically, as well as provide some basics outside of the test. Just something that could certainly help in the interview process. I also want a school with a great reputation as well as brand recognition. I don't know where my path will lead and currently I'm being pushed towards SWA, but I'm not naive to think anything is guaranteed (even going through internal transfer with two dispatchers (one trainer) recommendations. If I can get an invitation to interview straight out of school due to going to certain highly regarded schools over another then the cost differential would be justified. If I can actually land the job due to going to another school that helps best prepare me for the interview then it was well worth it to me. Otherwise, I'll probably be working the ramp for at least a year (does not sound fun during a Texas summer) and still not guaranteed an opportunity. If I had a chance to bypass that year of ramp work it would certainly be worth the addition cost of relocating for school. If nothing ever comes of my plan then perhaps it's greater currency among hiring managers at the various other airlines that might at least give me the opportunity to interview. I've lost a lot of money in the past trying to save money and as far as education sub $10K seems remarkably cheap for the opportunity to work in such a field. I'd personally rather not take a chance on missing out on anything. Nothing sucks worse than not having the opportunity to interview especially trying to crack a new field without experience. Perhaps hiring managers should look at the individuals and less the schools, but in reality I'd guess there are certainly biases and preferences that come into play. It's a part of human nature for many.

So, while your future peers here on Jetcareers are telling you that it doesn't matter. It really doesn't matter to them, myself included. However since I want to help you out I will leave you with my final piece of advice on this topic.

Decide on where you want to go to dispatch school not on convenience, price, and some popular notion on a web forum that it doesn't matter. Decide on where you want to go to dispatch school based on what is likely to get you a job in the field in the least amount of time. Talk to hiring managers, talk face to face with real dispatchers and get their opinions. If you gain a sense that an airline you really want to work at prefers grads of a certain school then factor that in. At the end of the day, decide on which school you think will give you the best chance of success not just for getting the piece of paper, they all do that, but also for landing that first job and having a successful career.

Agree and appreciate your insight and advice. Sorry that I've caused you some headaches as this topic apparently pits your opinion against many other members. I really do appreciate it. I'd have wound up following through with ATP if not for this thread and am very thankful I haven't. I appreciate everyone who has contributed to this thread. You have really helped me settle on Jeppesen and be comfortable with that decision! Thank you all!

 

[MikeD]

hiring managers should look at the individuals and less the schools, but in reality I'd guess there are certainly biases and preferences that come into play. It's a part of human nature for many.

As I said, very poor interviewing/hiring technique by said managers who engage in that. Pathetic too.

Agree and appreciate your insight and advice. Sorry that I've caused you some headaches as this topic apparently pits your opinion against many other members. I really do appreciate it. I'd have wound up following through with ATP if not for this thread and am very thankful I haven't. I appreciate everyone who has contributed to this thread. You have really helped me settle on Jeppesen and be comfortable with that decision! Thank you all!

You did some homework, found a place you were comfortable with and with a program you liked, and went with it. That's all that matters.

In the end though, regardless of what school you go to....whether flight, dispatch, A&P......it's ultimately you who is responsible for your own success and what you make of whatever program you go through. So long as people recognize that, they should be successful.

 

['Cap' Wilson]

And if hiring managers ONLY interview based on what school shows on the resume, then they're very potentially missing out on a possibly great candidate, because they spent too much time grouping all graduates of X or Y school into the same bunch.

But this notion that the school is somehow the make or break, as these nameless/faceless managers who do hiring seem to think, utterly fails to take into account the individual; and instead unfairly groups people based on just a school name.

As I said, very poor interviewing/hiring technique by said managers who engage in that. Pathetic too.

Nobody is talking about only interviewing graduates of select programs. If I invite 20 people to interview they typically have tickets from half a dozen different programs. There are always fewer job openings than the number who interview; you have maybe a 1 in 3 or 1 in 5 chance of being picked and that means you have to distinguish yourself from the others. Knowing your stuff is a great first start; and back to my original point there are schools out there happy to take your money and teach you very little in return. Seriously, how can you have a three week old ticket and not be able to tell me the visibility in a METAR? Programs like that exist thus the importance of doing your own research on a school beyond just asking them their placement rate.

 

[MikeD]

Nobody is talking about only interviewing graduates of select programs.

The below quote, appears to read differently (I realize, not your words).....my comments in brackets:

"Each hiring manager has their own opinions on each school and where you went matters to them [agree. We all have our opinions on various schools or anywhere]. They have been doing this long enough to know what kind of dispatchers come out of each school and in an absence of anything else substantial on your resume, that is going to be the impression of you they receive [understood, however considering the individual is still far better, as you could be surprised by a full-up candidate, that you'd otherwise overlook by lumping into a category that may not apply to them] . If you went to a school they have had bad experiences with, likely no interview for you". [that's the part, if actually happening that way, that's a complete disservice to all concerned]

If I invite 20 people to interview they typically have tickets from half a dozen different programs. There are always fewer job openings than the number who interview; you have maybe a 1 in 3 or 1 in 5 chance of being picked and that means you have to distinguish yourself from the others. Knowing your stuff is a great first start; and back to my original point there are schools out there happy to take your money and teach you very little in return. Seriously, how can you have a three week old ticket and not be able to tell me the visibility in a METAR? Programs like that exist thus the importance of doing your own research on a school beyond just asking them their placement rate.

I fully agree with you that's exactly why people have to do their homework on the schools they are considering. Couldn't agree more. Every school will have plusses and minuses.

If someone can't tell the METAR viz, then there's a broader problem with the whole certificate testing process from the FAA. That person shouldn't have passed to get a certificate, much less passed a school program. At the same time, that's also a failure on the interviewee to do some basic interview preparation. (ie- it's extremely likely that there will be METAR questions in an interview for a dispatch position. Might help as an interviewee to review METAR/TAF, especially if new(er) to aviation/dispatching. Common sense).

 

[MT]

The below quote, appears to read differently (I realize, not your words).....my comments in brackets:

"Each hiring manager has their own opinions on each school and where you went matters to them [agree. We all have our opinions on various schools or anywhere]. They have been doing this long enough to know what kind of dispatchers come out of each school and in an absence of anything else substantial on your resume, that is going to be the impression of you they receive [understood, however considering the individual is still far better, as you could be surprised by a full-up candidate, that you'd otherwise overlook by lumping into a category that may not apply to them] . If you went to a school they have had bad experiences with, likely no interview for you". [that's the part, if actually happening that way, that's a complete disservice to all concerned]

@MikeD I have one question for you about this response and then I'm done. You are the dispatch hiring manager at CrappedOn Regional Airlines dba NotFlyingOnUs Express. You'll have had 3 dispatchers leave and now need to find and hire the best 3 candidates you can find. Your boss says that you are only allowed to fly in your top 15 candidates for interviews.

Applications close and you are presented with a stack of 50 resumes. You pour through these resumes quick hoping to the dispatch gods that you see a guy with mainline experience that wants a massive pay cut and to be treated like garbage again.

After you wake up from your fantasy, you scour it again looking for a regional guy that is looking for a change of scenery and a lateral move. Damn those major airlines for hiring so much the last 3 years, I don't have anyone that fits that bill.

You're hopeful that maybe you will find some aviation experience on this next try. Perhaps an aviation degree in addition to the dispatch license. Maybe a private pilot certificate as well, experience working for an airline in any capacity, FBO? Sweet I found three! Only 12 more to go!

Ok let's look at the general resume. I see a couple with military service, that's a plus. Now only 10 to invite in. Sweet this is easy! We're almost done!

Oh wait.... Damn it, I still have 45 resumes that are practically the same. Joe Schmo has a 10 year work record and was promotable as evidenced by his supervisory experience. Jane Doe has the same. Santa Claus did this as well! Oh no, the Easter Bunny has the same exact qualifications as the first three. Crap...

So MikeD, you're calling the shots here. You have 45 resumes that are very similar. None of them have dispatch or aviation experience outside of their brand new dispatch certificate. We need to find the best individuals to bring in to interview, but you can't bring them all in to evaluate the individual, in an interview. They are all the same on paper outside of the dispatch school (which we have decided can't be a factor because it's pathetic, even though out of the last 5 dispatchers that I hired right from dispatch school, 3 are excellent dispatchers who went to ABC dispatch school and 2 are completely worthless who went to XYZ Dispatch School.) You can't give any preference to age, race, gender, etc. because that would get us sued and you fired really quick. How do you choose the last 10 to bring in for the interview? Coin flip? Lay out the resumes and blindly pick? Throw darts at them and call the guys that you hit?

I really am interested to see how you solve this conundrum that a hiring manager is presented with every time they hire without giving weight to where the candidates went to school.

 

[F9DXER]

@MT - Here is how I would look at it if it were me, not in any particular order and definitely not finite.

How often did they change jobs/careers? - If it shows multiple jobs in a short time period, that is a red flag.

Duties in their past jobs. - Does it show increased responsibility?

How did they present themselves on their resume? Correct grammar, punctuation, the ability to sell themselves to me. You are delivering a product, you have only one chance to get it right.

College degree (AS,BS,MS) - doesn't matter. By having one that person has shown the ability to set a goal and achieve it.

Call their previous boss and ask them if they would hire them again. Why/Why not. (Time permitting)

Look for them on Facebook/Linked and see what they portray