Telephone Operator Training

A telephone switchboard

With the advancement of wireless communications, it might seem that the telephone operator is an extinct job, being replaced by a computer. For the private and public sectors, this is incorrect, as companies and institutions still use switchboards, which require an operator, to communicate between floors and departments. But a telephone operator's task is comprised of more actions than plugging and unplugging, and so training is required.

Types

A telephone operator can serve, and thus can receive training, as a switchboard operator (private or public sector), a directory assistance operator (public sector), long distance operator, and dispatch operator. The training can entail all, or just one, of these duties, depending on the preference and location of the trainee. If the training takes place at a vocational school, all duties are potentially taught. But if the training takes place on-the-job, then the duty can be specialized to whatever the company designates.

Features

Both on-the-job and vocational school training have similar training methods: hands-on equipment
or switchboard training; procedural training; emergency training. Procedural training is comprised of
company policies and equipment use. Emergency training is general, such as how to deal with a angry
or confused client, but it can also be specific, such as on-the-job hospital or police dispatch training.

Qualifications

The base qualification is a high school diploma, general education degree (GED), or equivalent. Because an operator will be conversing with clients, speech skills and medically sound hearing are required. Some operators will be required to use a computer, and record conversations, so computer literacy and typing skills can also be necessary.

Salary

From the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for a telephone operator is $31,670 and for a
switchboard operator $24,220.

Job Outlook

Telephone and switchboard operator positions are projected to drop. The Bureau of Labor Statistics
projects the number of switchboard operators to drop from 155,200 in 2008 to 138,300 in 2018, and the
number of telephone operators to drop from 22,700 to 21,900.

References

• Swan Taxis: Telephone Operator Training
• Search By Degree: Communications Equipment Operator Training
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Communications Equipment Operator
• Degree Finders: How to Become a Telephone Operator