I am convinced I'm stuck

[Kittyhawk1048]

I tried the rail option a few years ago I had an interview at Indiana Railroad in HUF. I got the vibe from the interview that they were only looking for people that had rail experience. This maybe an industry that if you start working for them as lets say as conductor and a dispatch position comes up you maybe a good fit

 

[bgaviator]

When I interviewed at Continental, the dispatcher I was observing was telling me they had quite a few guys leave to do the Oil Pipeline Controller thing.....I guess they would come back from their interviews with big gift baskets as well. I actually got a call from a recruiter from Sunoco Logistics once who said she saw my profile on Monster, and thought I would be a good fit. Well, I was a little skeptical of someone just randomly calling me, I didn't know anything about Oil Pipeline work, and I was still trying to get into 121 dispatching........wow, am I kicking myself now.

A family friend of mine who has his ADX got into the oil business at an oil refinery near Houston monitoring the systems and petroleum movement within the factory. He got out of the aviation business years ago and has been there since while making a decent living it seems.

How to find jobs like that though, I have no idea.

Then there is the rail option, but even that has been pretty shaky at times.

 

[lithstrip]

The rail option is going to be very viable in afew years as the railroads have large numbers of retirements coming. In dispatch as well as in T&E, can be good money if you don't mind the extra board

I've been working for a Shortline here in Iowa for 2 years now and I can tell you from experience someone with ADX experience will have no trouble making the transition to rail. I have 2 friends who work for a class one, one was a dispatcher and the other a crew scheduler, neither had much trouble that I know of. If you're interested in rail keep plugging at it

 

[airbrush]

I've heard mixed reviews on the transition to rail; some like it, some don't. I recently interviewed with Norfolk Southern on the recommendation of a couple of former pilots I used to work with who are both there now (one is management, the other is a dispatcher). I didn't get the position this time, as the candidate pool was apparently very tough; but I was encouraged to try again, as they said I was well qualified. My biggest concern was more emotional rather than technical...I'm an aviation guy through and through, and I've never had any fascination with trains whatsoever. The idea of being immersed in a world where I must learn tons of new things that I've never cared about before, and spend thousands of hours in that world over the next 10-15 years, was a little intimidating. But the pilot who now works dispatch said he thought I could do the job without question, and the pay was far better than any airline dispatch job that I've seen in many years (short of getting on at a major, but we all know how easy that is these days). Still a viable option for those interested. I intend to keep trying, as I believe that is a far better avenue to provide for my family and eventual retirement than I'll ever see in the airline biz. Hurts to say it, but that's the reality I see.

 

[8sm]

The rail retirement is fantastic. The airline travel benefits maybe free but the rail pension makes a confirmed seat affordable everytime time you have the urge to go.

 

[Kittyhawk1048]

That was an awesome response. I agree with you a confirmed seat feels nice.

 

[bgaviator]

I applied recently to a Class 1 rail dispatch position, and I got a rejection letter the next morning! There was a grueling online assessment test that I wasn't prepared to do, but the deadline was that day. I have also applied to Norfolk Southern a few times, and have gotten rejection letters each time....maybe with the tight economy they can afford to be picky and only take on people with previous rail experience?

 

[WalterSobchak]

I have also applied to Norfolk Southern a few times, and have gotten rejection letters each time....maybe with the tight economy they can afford to be picky and only take on people with previous rail experience?

As with most things...it's who you know, not what you know. My 23 year-old cousin makes twice what I make as a rail dispatcher. My uncle has been with BNSF for 30+ years, so getting his daughter hired was cake.

I was essentially told that, without some kind of internal push like that, it doesn't really matter how qualified you are.

 

[zzbaron]

At least once a year I see a posting from the US Forest Service for aircraft dispatchers based in a few different cities in Alaska. I always think it would be fun to live in Sitka or Ketchikan but the pay is between 35-55k. I don’t think that would be enough money to live on especially if you have a family.

Also, it looks like Allegiant is hiring dispatchers if anyone is looking for a job.

http://hostedjobs.openhire.com/epos...n=1&source=ONLINE&JobOwner=976344&startflag=1#

 

[Squirrel29]

At least once a year I see a posting from the US Forest Service for aircraft dispatchers based in a few different cities in Alaska. I always think it would be fun to live in Sitka or Ketchikan but the pay is between 35-55k. I don’t think that would be enough money to live on especially if you have a family.

Also, it looks like Allegiant is hiring dispatchers if anyone is looking for a job.

http://hostedjobs.openhire.com/epos...n=1&source=ONLINE&JobOwner=976344&startflag=1#

Knew a guy that went up there. They paid for his moving expenses and it is a government job not a bad option. $35000 is tight up there but doable plus if you plan to stay up there you can get the permanent dividend fund. Havent talked to him in along time so dont know if he is still doing it.