Your Questions About the Champion Program…Answered!
Read these Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for more information about ACRP’s Champion program, specific mission details, and more! If you have a question that is not addressed below, please contact the ACRP Champion Program Administrator.
About the Program
Q. What is the ACRP Champion program?
A. ACRP’s Champion program is a new initiative to help early- to mid-career young professionals grow and excel within the airport industry. This program provides airport industry executives with the opportunity to sponsor promising young professionals within their organizations to become the primary point of contact for ACRP and its resources. The young professionals in the program will also expand their professional networks, receive professional development tips, exercise valuable communication skills, and serve as in-house resources on ACRP’s emerging products, programs, and opportunities that benefit the organization and airport industry.
Q. Is this program for staff who are already mid-level managers or those who desire to be promoted to a mid-level management position in the future?
A. Actually, we are targeting early career practitioners, not necessarily management. Yet, the initiative is flexible enough to accommodate both, though individuals in the early stages of their careers may benefit the most by participating. ACRP encourages individuals in senior leadership positions to selectively sponsor Champions from within their organizations that they believe are best suited to embrace and benefit from this opportunity.
Q. How much time should the person anticipate needing to commit to the program in the course of a year?
A. Champions will complete the missions at their own pace within a three-year timeframe. It is too early in the initiative to say how many hours it will take to complete each mission, but the tasks they contain are reasonable and fit most organizational goals for professional development and team collaboration.
Q. Is travel required and, if so, is the cost covered by TRB?
A. No, travel is not required. However, ACRP designed several mission activities specifically to help Champions develop and expand their professional networks. Attending industry events provides Champions an opportunity to further that objective. It is our hope that the organization will see initiative in their Champion and send them to local/regional industry events.
Program Eligibility
Q. Can a young professional become an ACRP Champion without Sponsor approval?
A. Because a Champion becomes the point of contact between ACRP and their organization, only CEOs, vice presidents, senior managers, and practice leaders from the organization may sponsor (i.e., approve) a young professional.
Q. Can a CEO, vice president, senior manager, or practice leader sponsor multiple young professionals at an organization or at different organizations?
A. A sponsor can only nominate a Champion from his/her organization. Please visit the “Participating Organization” page [link to new page] to see if your organization is represented in the ACRP program. If an organization has two or more locations, there may be an opportunity for multiple Champions. Please email the ACRP Champion Program Administrator for additional information.
Q. Can academic institutions become involved with the ACRP Champion program?
A. Currently, the program is not designed for academic institutions. In future iterations of the program, it will be modified to fit the needs of a college/university student. If you have an interest in sponsoring a student or if you are a student at a university and are interested in becoming an ACRP Champion, contact the ACRP Champion Program Administrator to express your interest.
Q. Can there be more than one Champion/Sponsor at an organization?
A. There can only be one Champion and one Sponsor at an organization. If an organization has two or more locations, there may be an opportunity for multiple Champions. Please email the ACRP Champion Program Administrator for additional information.
Mission-Specific Questions
Q. If a Champion or Sponsor has questions about a mission or activity, to whom should these be directed?
A. If you are stumped on a specific mission or would like additional information to complete the mission activities, please contact the ACRP Champion Program Administrator.
Q. Can you provide some specific examples of the types of “missions” that the Champion would be expected to complete?
A. The first mission (Checking In) encourages Champions to learn about ACRP and how an organization can get involved. It also encourages Champions to stay connected as new resources are published. Through this mission, Champions will be instructed to browse the ACRP website, attend a webinar, and perform other entry-level activities to become better acquainted with ACRP. Subsequent missions emphasize activities designed to help the Champion share information on ACRP with others in the organization, promoting himself or herself as a “go to” resource on new knowledge and practice from ACRP. Missions are different and progressively challenging. Some of the activities include hosting a brown bag within the Champion’s organization, sending an all-staff email, organizing in-house viewing of a relevant ACRP webinar, and inviting speakers to make presentations on topics that are important to the organization. The ACRP Champion program is meant to be a fun and progressive learning experience, so Champions must complete each mission before the subsequent mission is revealed.
Q. Are Champions required to attend a live ACRP webinar to complete Mission 1?
A. Champions have the option to attend a live ACRP webinar or view a previously recorded session. In the Mission 1 completion survey, Champions should indicate the date of the webinar they attended and if it was prerecorded.
Q. Why is it a requirement to use social media as a Champion and how can I effectively use the platform?
A. Social media is an excellent way to develop your career network. By engaging with ACRP in social media, you can grow your network while developing important social media skills –individually and professionally! Be sure to connect with colleagues and other professionals in your industry via LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to stay connected and to forge professional relationships.
Q. In Mission 2, Champions are tasked with “Broadcasting Their Position” to their organization. How can Champions do this effectively?
A. Champions are asked to “Broadcast Their Position” not to boast about their affiliation with ACRP but to simply inform colleagues that as a Champion they serve as a resource for the organization. ACRP has provided a Promotional Toolkit to assist Champions with this mission. It can be modified as needed to best suit the needs and culture of the organization.