Emergency Services Dispatchers

High School

Effective communication skills are key for emergency services dispatchers so you should take English, speech, and foreign language classes in high school. Computer science courses will help you to become familiar with computers and database management, which will come in handy as you manage large amounts of information and use computer systems to interact with callers and dispatch police or fire service personnel. Government and social studies classes will provide you with an introduction to the world around you and keep you up to date on current events. Some employers require applicants to be proficient in typing so you should also take typing or keyboarding classes.