A.A.E. or A.A.P.: Could Accreditation Be Your Next Step?
There is something powerful about seeing A.A.E. or A.A.P. after an airport professional’s name. The letters represent an accomplishment, but they also say something about the person who earned them: they made a commitment to broaden their knowledge, challenge themselves and continue growing as an airport professional.
That is ultimately what accreditation is about.
And with the 2026 IAAE Canada Accreditation Academy taking place October 19–23 in Abbotsford, BC, now is a good time to consider whether accreditation could be the next step in your own career.
Seeing Beyond Your Own Role
Airports are complex organizations. Operations, safety and security, finance, infrastructure, planning, regulation and leadership all intersect every day, yet most of us build our careers working much more deeply in some areas than others.
Accreditation encourages airport professionals to look beyond their own roles and develop a broader understanding of how airports work.
That broader perspective is valuable whether you are preparing for your next role, already leading a team or simply want to better understand the people and functions you work alongside every day.
The IAAE Canada Accreditation Program offers two pathways: the Accredited Airport Executive (A.A.E.) designation for professionals employed by airports and airport authorities and the Accredited Airport Professional (A.A.P.) designation for professionals working with organizations that serve Canada’s airport industry.
Learning From the People Around You
But accreditation isn't only about what you learn from a textbook.
Ask accredited members about their experience and you will often hear about the people they met along the way: mentors, instructors, fellow candidates, examiners and colleagues from airports across Canada.
The program creates opportunities to learn from professionals whose airports, responsibilities and experiences may be very different from your own. Those different perspectives are part of what makes the process valuable and the relationships built along the way can last well beyond earning the designation.
A Place to Begin
For professionals who have thought about accreditation but haven't taken that first step, Accreditation Academy offers a way to get started.
Over four and a half days, participants work through the Accreditation Body of Knowledge with experienced instructors and other candidates from across Canada. They can ask questions, discuss concepts and prepare together for the Certified Member (C.M.) examination, the first phase of the accreditation process.
It is an intensive few days, but it is also an opportunity to step away from the day-to-day, immerse yourself in learning and connect with other professionals who have made the same commitment to their development.
Could accreditation be your next step?
There are many reasons to pursue accreditation. You might want to broaden your airport knowledge, prepare yourself for future leadership opportunities, strengthen your professional credibility or simply take on a new challenge.
There doesn't have to be one right reason.
Every A.A.E. and A.A.P. started by deciding they were ready to take the next step.
The 2026 IAAE Canada Accreditation Academy takes place October 19–23 in Abbotsford, BC. Perhaps this October is the time to take yours.