On-the-job training is not a formality. It is an extended interview where a senior dispatcher decides whether they would trust you with a release.
What they are watching
- Do you ask the next question, or wait to be told?
- Can you explain why, not just what?
- Do you stay calm when the plan changes?
How to stand out
Show curiosity about the reasoning behind decisions, take notes without being asked, and own your mistakes quickly. Judgment is learnable; the willingness to learn it is what they grade.
I can teach the procedures. I am watching to see if you want to understand them.
— Senior dispatcher / OJT instructor