Telecommunicator Trainee

Essential duties of a telecommunicator include receiving calls, monitoring radio frequencies, and monitoring intrusion and fire alarms in a fast, courteous, accurate, and efficient manner; ascertaining nature and location of service required; taking action(s) needed to ensure service is provided; documenting response activities; operating console equipped with multiple computer terminals, mapping and camera systems, radio channels, telephone lines, and keyboard, etc.; providing callers with medical and/or other emergency instructions prior to arrival of emergency units; calming callers as needed to extract pertinent information; remaining alert during up to 12-hour shift with consistent steadiness, courtesy, or patience and regardless of workload; completing training as directed; staffing and operating field equipment; maintaining confidentiality; and performing other duties as required.

Requirements

Qualifications required of trainees are a high school diploma or GED; fluency in English; data entry skills that allow for accurate, efficient recording of communications recorded in real-time or later; demonstrated abilities to work, organize, and operate with a high level of productivity when under pressure; demonstrated abilities to effectively handle multiple differing tasks simultaneously; superior accuracy in all duties; learns ad demonstrates capacity for work and essential duties of job via successful completion of 12-week training program provided through the employer that consists of:

* Three months of full-time classroom training (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)

* Three months maximum of hands-on training across multiple shifts in a 24-hour operation

* Forty hours of accredited training in telecommunications, APCO Institute or equivalent, and accompanying certification

* Training in emergency medical dispatching or emergency police dispatch with accompanying certification

* Working knowledge of or ability to learn policies and procedures of an emergency communications center

* Knowledge of or ability to learn geography, topography, and environmental characteristics of Blair County

* Knowledge of or ability to learn use of municipal/county/state road maps

Hires must pass post-offer, pre-employment drug screen and criminal background checks. Incumbents cannot use medical marijuana because of federal funding provided to the role. Physical requirements of work environment include stamina to work 12-hour shifts, including evenings, nights, holidays, and weekends; frequent periods of sitting; and movement that can include bending, reaching, twisting, turning, kneeling, grabbing, and typing; vision requires varying focus, distinguishing colors, and long periods of reading computer monitors; hearing and speaking; manual dexterity; and reliable transportation for reliable attendance.

Benefits

Trainees are enrolled in the pension plan upon hire, which includes a required 5% pre-tax withholding; the remaining provisions of the benefits package begin the first of the month following classroom and hands-on training completion upon successful training graduation. Benefits after graduation and assignment to a shift include 90% employer-paid PPO healthcare with vision and three-tier prescription components, public employer's equivalent of 401(k), short-term disability, term life insurance, a menu of voluntary benefits that includes dental and Aflac, 14 annual paid holidays, and other time-off provisions. Trainees start at $17.55/hour. If trainee graduates and is placed onto the work schedule, pay increases to $19.35/hour.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER