In short: yes.

Not because dispatchers are expected to be mechanics, but because aircraft systems knowledge helps you understand the seriousness of a situation and make better operational decisions.

For example, if Maintenance tells you a bleed valve is stuck closed, that may not mean much unless you understand what the bleed air system supports. Suddenly, you may need to think about anti-ice capability, pressurization, air conditioning, MEL restrictions, routing, altitude limitations, weather, and whether icing exists along the route.

Maintenance will identify the issue. The manuals will tell you the restrictions. But your knowledge helps you understand the operational relevance of the problem.

That is what separates someone who simply reads a manual from someone who can think like a dispatcher.

You do not need to be a mechanic, but you do need enough systems knowledge to recognize when something is routine, abnormal, or potentially critical. This makes you more confident, more fluent, and more competitive as a future aircraft dispatcher.