Professional Organization Memberships

Professional associations and organizations memberships are extremely beneficial for a number of factors, including professional development and staying ahead with the latest industry news. There are two organizations that I currently belong to due to my career aspirations in aviation management, Women in Aviation and American Association of Airport Executives. Women in Aviation is a non-profit organization that encourages the advancement and success of women in the aviation industry. The organization is not only for women; WAI actively encourages men to join their ranks as well. The AAAE is an organization dedicated to result-oriented representation for thousands of airport management personnel. The AAAE focuses specifically on training and industry information circulation.  The airport management segment of the industry relies heavily on the certification process of the AAAE to ensure employees are significantly trained for their positions.

Women in Aviation offers significant benefits to its members all around the world. WAI publishes its own publication to help disseminate industry news, discuss aviation topics, and highlights women in the industry. The WAI organizes a large annual conference for the purposes of sharing knowledge and experience. There are also many local WAI chapters that a national member can belong to for the same purposes. Education, career placement, and government representation are additional benefits that the WAI offers. American Association of Airport Executives offers similar benefits to the ones offered by WAI, but focus heavily on professional development and training. Belonging to professional organization is extremely important in any industry to remain current on industry news, gain knowledge from others experiences, and for professional development.

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Professionalism and The Work Place

The aviation industry offers numerous opportunities for employment, both in the public and private sectors. Going forward I see myself working in the public sector, either for a state or federal agency. One specific area of employment I would enjoy is an Airport Marketing and Communications Manager, such as this position in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Positions such as the one linked to above are offered at a variety of airports around the country, but I find myself looking for employment on either the East or West Coast. An Airport Marketing and Communications Manager manages multiple aspects of an airports marketing program, public relations, media relations, and communications programs. The position requires the development of marketing collateral, serve as the main media contact, and the production of news releases. As the main media contact, Airport Marketing and Communications Managers have to ensure that the information they expend is accurate and does not express personal bias or personnel information. Holding scheduled press conferences and releases allows for the correct phraseology to be used and to prevent off-the-cuff remarks, reducing exposure to lawsuit liability.   

Airport Marketing and Communications Managers are required to demonstrate a very high level of professionalism with their interactions with employees and the public. Professionalism is the mindset that one should remain courteous and honest, adhere to rules and decorum, and follow through with their commitments and responsibilities in the work environment. Within the aviation industry, Colgan Air provides several prime examples of lax professionalism.  The first example comes from Flight 3407, where both pilots engaged in nonessential conversation when the aircraft was under 10,000 ft., violating the sterile cockpit rule and contributing to their inattentiveness to unfurling events.  Secondly, a captain at Colgan falsified weight records so he could fly his overweight aircraft. Both of these examples highlight a disregard for workplace professionalism. I would ensure my professionalism by preventing complacency, in both my work and personal relationships with coworkers. I would also engage in continuous improvement via seminars/workshops offered by the AAAE and other organizations, to have a frontline knowledge of industry trends and information.