Guidance.help

Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance

Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance is the O*NET name for people who 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. Its interest code is CRE. Conventional leads at 5.4 out of 7, so expect orderly work with data, records and clear procedures, with Realistic next at 5.3. The preparation level is some preparation, typically a few months to a year of learning on the job. O*NET’s skill data points to speaking, active listening, and monitoring as the ones to build. A regular part of the work is to schedule or dispatch workers, work crews, equipment, or service vehicles to appropriate locations, according to customer requests, specifications, or needs, using radios or telephones. If you want orderly work with data, records and clear procedures, keep it on your list. If you need creative work with room for original expression, it may feel thin.

What they do

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.

Main tasks

  • Schedule or dispatch workers, work crews, equipment, or service vehicles to appropriate locations, according to customer requests, specifications, or needs, using radios or telephones.
  • Prepare daily work and run schedules.
  • Confer with customers or supervising personnel to address questions, problems, or requests for service or equipment.
  • Relay work orders, messages, or information to or from work crews, supervisors, or field inspectors, using telephones or two-way radios.
  • Receive or prepare work orders.
  • Record and maintain files or records of customer requests, work or services performed, charges, expenses, inventory, or other dispatch information.

Skills

  • Speaking
  • Active Listening
  • Monitoring
  • Coordination
  • Time Management
  • Reading Comprehension

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on speaking and active listening.

May not suit you if

  • You get restless with routine, records and exact procedures.
  • You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You want a career built on years of advanced study.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code CRE takes the three highest, and Conventional comes first here.

Preparation

Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Aircraft Dispatcher
  • Charter Coordinator
  • City Dispatcher
  • Dispatcher (Dispatch)
  • Mine Dispatcher

Related careers

Is this your direction?

See how your interests line up with CRE and 906 other careers.

Take the career test

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.