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International Affairs Certification Program (IACP)

International Affairs Certification Program (IACP)
Overview

The Department of Defense International Affairs, Certification and Career Guidelines (download a PDF copy), establishes the requirement for each DoD component to develop and implement a program leading to the professional certification of all employees identified as members of the IA workforce. Workforce members are required to meet the mandatory standards of education, training, and experience in order to achieve each of three levels of certification.  

The IACP allows personnel working throughout the IA community to apply for and receive certification.  All Air Force applicants must meet the mandatory standards of experience and training for an IACP Level I, II, and III certification.  The IACP Review Board meets annually in February, June, and October to review applications. The next IACP Review Board will be held 24 Feb 2017.  All submissions must be received NLT COB 17 Feb 2017. 
*Please Note:  Certifications may be conferred upon U.S. Government employees only. Contractors are not eligible for formal certification.

Level I: Basic or Entry
Level I standards are designed to establish fundamental qualifications and expertise in the individual's IA career. Development at Level I provides a foundation for career progression and is designed to prepare qualified and motivated personnel for positions of increasing responsibility. Level I individuals should be exposed to IA functions and the roles of its various specialized areas. In addition to participating in education and training courses, it is extremely beneficial for individuals to develop enhanced capabilities through structured on-the-job rotational assignments among a variety of functional offices.

Level II: Intermediate or Journeymen
At Level II, specialization is initially emphasized. Development continues, including rotational assignments, but the responsibilities and lengths of time an individual spends in each position generally increase. While specialization is emphasized at the beginning of this level, the individual should later begin to broaden his or her background toward a more general expertise in the overall process of IA management. Development normally involves establishing a good foundation of experience in the employee's primary specialty followed by multi-functional experience accomplished by lateral movement to a related IA specialty.

Level III: Advanced or Senior
At Level III, individuals should have completed all mandatory training and education requirements (or equivalents) of that level, and should have advanced through a career pattern that has given him or her depth of knowledge in one or more primary functional areas and a breadth of knowledge across the entire spectrum of IA.

Please visit the How to Apply section for more detailed information.