The fact that the person did not know what a Flight Dispatcher is could be for a number of reasons, but they will have a similar position, they may just call it something different.
From what I just read on the Emirates website there that you provided, the course should be tailored to people entering the airline industry with no previous experience - the "new hires" gives that away.
The 7 weeks should not worry you. If you are willing to study hard, and use every spare second to reading the books and information they provide, then 7 weeks is enough time to take someone new and give them the information they need to enter the industry. Being a school attached to an airline means they want to keep their reputation up, so be prepared to work hard, but at the end you will have been given the information to pass the GCAA-UAE Dispatcher exam.
If you did want to take a course or something before hand, I would suggest going to the local flying school and asking them if you could enrole in a course to get a feel for the information. That will give you a basic idea of the type of information you will be provided- I would suggest a Commercial Pilot Meteorology or Navigation class (Airline Transport would be even better, but be prepared to feel like youre in too deep!)
All in all, it looks and sounds like a good course, and it is a great career! Good luck!