MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- The Community College of the Air Force will no longer accept applications for the Professional Manager Certification program after Sept. 30, 2019.
The program termination comes after the Air Force Credentialing Opportunities On-Line has 31 civilian industry leadership and management professional certifications available to senior noncommissioned officers.
“Since 2011, we’ve awarded nearly 29,000 PMC certificates to eligible SNCOs,” said Chief Master Sgt. Rye Bavin, CCAF vice commandant. “While a great program to recognize the education and experiences SNCOs have throughout their career, the credentialing opportunities through AF COOL provide a greater benefit to our Airmen.”
To be eligible for the PMC, Airmen must have been awarded a CCAF degree and the 7 skill-level or higher. They must have also completed Airman Leadership School, Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, or their equivalent, and also completed 30 semester hours of leadership/management coursework.
“We are still accepting applications for the PMC, and our office will award the certificate to those Airmen who submitted an application and meet all the requirements before Sept. 30, 2019,” Bavin said. “But we want senior NCOs to know that AF COOL provides them greater opportunities to earn specialized certifications or licenses that are recognized by civilian credentialing agencies or employers.”
The AF COOL program started in 2015, and provides enlisted Airmen up to $4,500 to pursue career-specific credentials.
“We’ve seen AF COOL grow by more than 600 percent in the last four years,” Bavin said. “This is a great benefit for Airmen to complete civilian leadership credentials that are recognized and accepted nationwide.”