I’m thinking of becoming a flight dispatcher. I’ve been doing a bit of research and it sounds like something I’d be good at. But I need some unbiased answers. I’ve seen some job openings listed on the web, including one nearby, so there seems to be some demand. I haven’t the faintest idea about supply. Found several schools on the web with classes, training, and certification; are there any of them any good? Is it even possible to break into this field in the foreseeable future?
I’m early-40s, have a Bachelor of Science, and have been a software developer/tester for 15 years. I can relocate with relative ease, although there are some places I’d rather live than others.
I’m not sure how relevant my experience is, but here goes. I’m on the maintenance side of the business. As far as management and operations go, it’s incredibly insular. It’s not uncommon for me to talk to someone as I did today who worked for a different company in the same of similar capacity for another company the previous week. Part of this is due to the ability for those in the front offices to identify where the money is so to speak. Don’t let that discourage you though as I came to this industry from the medical field. There used to be a job site I monitored for upcoming openings, but it’s been years since I was on the make for new employment. I’ll see if I can dig something up for you.
I’m a flight instructor, so I don’t know much about the dispatch side (other than the part-timers at our flight school). I’m pretty sure this website has a dispatcher section.