i actually think it might be more competitive as an internal than an external, but i can’t say for sure. i do know a few internal employees that have tried every posting and not broken through yet. there seems to be a lot of swa employees that have their dx cert, so it’s definitely competitive
i thought about taking a job as a ramper a few years back, but chose to go regional -> ulcc -> now i’m starting in this next class. i would guess that i’d still be working the ramp if i had taken that job in 2021, and i’d have zero dx experience. personally i think going the regional/ulcc route would be faster and give you more options if you’re open to going to a different major
edit/ now if southwest dispatch is your one and only goal, a ramp job with them may get you there eventually, but you’d have to be patient and keep up your studies. you’d also have to be okay with closing the door on every other major, as it’s unlikely they would hire you with no dx experience