What do I want to do when I grow
up? Well, I want to become an airport manager somewhere quiet, calm and
pristine. This may not happen over night, so I will have to begin building a
name in the industry. How else better to do that than join some professional
associations.
I believe that two of the most
important associations I could be a part of would be the American Association of Airport Executives
(AAAE) and Aircraft Owners and Pilots
Association (AOPA).
I believe it is important to be a
part of AAAE because they are very involved in legislative debate and are
advocates of airport executives. It is their mission to better serve airport
executives by providing better products, services and Washington representation.
They have grown to be one of the biggest professional trade associations and
has proven results in Washington.
The AOPA is a very important association to be a part of because I am a pilot myself and when I am an
airport manager, I will need to know what the customers I am serving are
thinking and what they are concerned about. The AOPA values Initiative,
Teamwork, Service, Integrity and Excellence. They advocate on behalf of their
members on many issues in Washington and also use education to ensure the
long-term health of General Aviation. I believe that the AOPA is a great
organization for me to get a good understanding of my customers.
Although associations are
important, I believe the function of continuing education in our industry is
the greatest benefit that these associations provide. I encourage all aviation
professionals and those who want to become aviation professionals to seek out
the association that is right for what you want to accomplish. Strength in
numbers…..
I have actually never heard of AAAE, that's really interesting. I'm surprised they have a Washington representative, but that sounds like a great org to be involved in.
ReplyDeleteWould you be interested in working in Washington? That way you can be first hand in the governmental part of things. It sounds like you know what you want. I hope the associations can help you with your goals.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to their political role, AAAE also offers some great certifications that Marques mentioned last week. They sound like worthwhile education opportunities that would look great on a resume.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to hear that management majors are also interested in AOPA. Being concerned for the people you're managing will make you a better manager.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds to me like you want to work at a small airport like stated in your blog but don't want the oversight of the political world like Washington, D.C. We all know that political figures get trapped in the Washington bubble. I agree that AOPA is a great organization to be apart of, I highly recommend them to past and present flight students.
ReplyDelete