CareerZone Pennsylvania

Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance

Description

Schedule and dispatch workers, work crews, equipment, or service vehicles for conveyance of materials, freight, or passengers, or for normal installation, service, or emergency repairs rendered outside the place of business. Duties may include using radio, telephone, or computer to transmit assignments and compiling statistics and reports on work progress.

Job Zone

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.

Education Requirements

Moderate-term on-the-job training - Necessary skills are acquired through on-the-job training lasting 1 to 12 months.

Interests

Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Knowledge

Public Safety and Security	Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
English Language	Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Clerical	Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Transportation	Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

Skills

Management of Personnel Resources	Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Social Perceptiveness	Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Operations Analysis	Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
Coordination	Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Service Orientation	Actively looking for ways to help people.
Troubleshooting	Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Instructing	Teaching others how to do something.
Active Learning	Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Learning Strategies	Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Monitoring	Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Tasks

• Ensure timely and efficient movement of trains according to train orders and schedules.
• Order supplies and equipment, and issue them to personnel.
• Receive or prepare work orders.
• Confer with customers or supervising personnel to address questions, problems, and requests for service or equipment.
• Prepare daily work and run schedules.
• Oversee all communications within specifically assigned territories.
• Monitor personnel or equipment locations and utilization to coordinate service and schedules.
• Record and maintain files and records of customer requests, work or services performed, charges, expenses, inventory, and other dispatch information.
• Determine types or amounts of equipment, vehicles, materials, or personnel required according to work orders or specifications.
• Advise personnel about traffic problems such as construction areas, accidents, congestion, weather conditions, and other hazards.
• Schedule and dispatch workers, work crews, equipment, or service vehicles to appropriate locations according to customer requests, specifications, or needs, using radios or telephones.
• Arrange for necessary repairs to restore service and schedules.
• Relay work orders, messages, and information to or from work crews, supervisors, and field inspectors using telephones or two-way radios.

Wages

In 2006, the Pennsylvania average annual wage was $34,400.00. The entry-level wage was $21,700.00 while an experienced worker made $40,760.00.

Outlook

During 2004, there were approximately 5,500 people employed in this field in Pennsylvania. It is projected that there will be 5,570 employed in 2014. This occupation will have about 7 openings due to growth and about 118 replacement openings for approximately 125 total annual openings. This occupation experienced moderate growth.

Colleges and Training

There are currently no programs listed for this occupation. To manually search for colleges, select the College Navigator link below.

For additional college information and related training about this career path, please visit:

AES EducationPlanner, PA Dept of Labor, PA Career Link, college.gov, and College Navigator

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