Lake Land Community College will be offering a new Public Safety Telecommunicator certificate during this upcoming spring semester. The certificate program is for individuals whom are interested in the dispatching field.
The seventeen-credit-hour program is being modeled after the Illinois Public Safety Telecommunicator Training Basic Certification curriculum and is eligible for financial aid. Courses included in this new program are: Basic Telecommunicator, Responding to Emergencies, Keyboarding, Practical Software Applications, Interpersonal Communication, and Introduction to Psychology. After the successful completion of the program and an internship, graduates will have obtained the basic skills and knowledge required by public safety telecommunicator dispatch centers. Graduates of the program interested in becoming a dispatcher must be able to multi-task and remain calm during a crisis.
Lake Land College’s Allied Health Division Chair/ Nursing Instructor, Karla Hardiek stated, “According to a recent survey conducted by Lake Land College, area dispatch center directors said the program would be a valuable asset to the profession. Nine out of 10 responding agencies indicated graduates of the program would be hired”.
Effingham City Police Department 911 Communication Manager, Jodi Moomaw, aided in the development of the program. Moomaw said, “The benefit of offering this certification will result in a larger pool of skilled, qualified applicants to the area. Many of the 911 Public Safety Answering Points across the nation are also looking for qualified staff”.
The spring semester at Lake Land College begins on January 9th and registration for the semester begins on November 14th. For additional information on the Public Safety Telecommunicator Certificate Program, contact Lake Land College at 217-234-5370.