Telephone Operators are employed by telephone companies, private businesses, and institutions to aid in completing telephone calls successfully. May include reversing long distance charges, locating an individual, indicating the cost of a call, contacting the police in an emergency, assisting a blind person who is unable to dial, arranging a conference call for business executives, and supplying customers with telephone numbers they cannot locate.
Training takes place on the job or in classrooms that simulate actual working conditions.
Telephone Operators accounted for approximately 3,820 workers in Alabama in 1996. Employment is expected to decrease to 3,420 by 2006. There are approximately 90 job openings yearly for Operators in Alabama. Salaries may vary according to location and individual ability. Unions are available in some areas of the state.