An emergency dispatcher with short, dark hair, wearing a headset and white long-sleeved collared shirt, using a phone system and switchboard to take an emergency phone calll

Prepare for a career as an emergency dispatcher or communications operator

Emergency Services Communicator

Connect members of the public in crisis with police, fire and ambulance services. Work in a fast-paced environment where speed and accuracy are critical.

Program code EMSC
Program Delivery Part-time

Program information

Program description

This specialized training covers the basic requirements to become a 911 emergency operator. A Georgian College Attestation of Completion is awarded following the completion of the two required courses for a total of 72 hours of instruction. The principles of call-taking and emergency dispatching, the role and responsibilities of the emergency services communicator during a disaster, approaches to various types of crisis intervention calls (SIDS, suicide, etc.) and stress identification and management will be addressed.

What courses are included in the Emergency Services Communicator program?

Course offerings and equivalents

Currently available courses are linked below.

How do I apply to the Emergency Services Communicator program?

Register on a course-by-course basis, paying as you go

Part-time students do not go through an application process for this program. To register for courses, you’ll need a Georgian College student number.

  1. From the course listing, select the course(s) you want to register for
  2. Add the course(s) to your cart and proceed to checkout for payment
    • If you’re a first-time registrant, you’ll need to request student number via the online form

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Finance and fees

Are part-time students eligible for the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)?Georgian College Chevron

As a part-time student, you may be eligible for OSAP funding, depending on the number of courses you take per semester.

For more information about OSAP, including eligibility requirements and how to apply, visit the OSAP/financial aid webpage.

What is the cost of the program?Georgian College Chevron

There is no program fee when studying part-time. As a part-time student, you can take one to three courses per semester, paying on a course-by-course basis.

For course fee information, select a course from the course information section of this page.

Online learning

What is an OntarioLearn (ODE) course?Georgian College Chevron

These courses are offered through OntarioLearn. Visit the OntarioLearn webpage to learn more.

OntarioLearn courses are set up as equivalents to the Georgian courses. You can choose to take the ODE courses or the Georgian courses.

When a Georgian course isn’t available to be delivered online, we’ve listed an OntarioLearn course in the delivery schedule. The majority of the Georgian courses have ODE equivalents set up. You can choose to take either course.

Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)

Can I transfer credits or prior life or work experience to fast track my studies?Georgian College Chevron

Previous postsecondary education: If you’ve completed courses, or some or all of a program, at another accredited postsecondary institution, you may be able to transfer all or some of your courses into a related program at Georgian.

Relevant work or life experience: If you have relevant work and/or life experience that relates to your program(s) of interest at Georgian, Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) is an academic credit option.

To learn more about transfer credit and PLAR, visit the Credit for Prior Learning webpage.

Do you have questions about Emergency Services Communicator? Contact us!

Questions about the program?

Continuing Education

Need help with registration?

Office of the Registrar