How To Become A Telecommunicator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a telecommunicator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

The emergency number 911 was first instituted in 1968. Ever since then, whenever people have an emergency, all they have to do is dial 911, and they will be connected with the help they need. The person responsible for answering those calls and directing emergency services where they are needed is a telecommunicator, also sometimes called a dispatcher.

Above all, the telecommunicator needs to be a good communicator. They have to get the facts of a situation, often from callers in distress and who are unable to speak clearly. They then have to relay that information to emergency responders such as EMTs or firefighters, direct them to the right address, and record call details.

Most telecommunicators do not have bachelor's degrees. Instead, they need to have other important skills that are usually not learned in a classroom. Besides excellent communication skills, telecommunicators need to have a cool head when under pressure and even know basic first aid to instruct people over the phone while they wait for help. A good telecommunicator can save many lives.

ScoreTelecommunicatorUS Average

Salary

3.1

Avg. Salary $39,327

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.72%

Asian 0.90%

Black or African American 9.14%

Hispanic or Latino 11.11%

Unknown 6.00%

White 72.13%

Gender

female 71.03%

male 28.97%

Age - 38

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 38

Stress level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

4.9

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

8.7

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a telecommunicator

Explore telecommunicator education requirements

Most common telecommunicator degrees

Bachelor's

38.7 %

Associate

27.4 %

High School Diploma

20.8 %

Start to develop specific telecommunicator skills

Skills	Percentages
Computer Aided Dispatch	13.99%
CAD	7.04%
EMS	6.06%
NCIC	5.58%
Patrol	4.44%

Complete relevant telecommunicator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New telecommunicators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a telecommunicator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real telecommunicator resumes.

Gain additional telecommunicator certifications

Telecommunicator certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific telecommunicator certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for telecommunicators include Telecommunications (TCM) and Emergency Medical Dispatcher Certification (EMD).

More About Certifications

Research telecommunicator duties and responsibilities

Help organize telecommunication PSAP and back-up PSAP weekly.
Use NCIC and FCIC and provide accurate information for search.
Provide CPR instructions over the phone until emergency personnel arrive at location.
Monitor radio communications at the same time and update cad throughout emergency.

Prepare your telecommunicator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your telecommunicator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a telecommunicator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable telecommunicator resume templates

Build a professional telecommunicator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your telecommunicator resume.