Airports Council Recognizes Six Organizations with ACI-NA Workforce Development Accreditation

SALT LAKE CITY, UT- Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA), the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, recognized six organizations for achieving the ACI-NA Airport Workforce Development Accreditation. The recipients were recognized on Wednesday, June 24, at the ACI-NA 2026 Business of Airports Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.

"ACI-NA's Workforce Development Accreditation continues to reflect our commitment to investing in the airport industry's premier workforce, and we're thrilled to honor these organizations in the program's second year," said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. "Strong leaders drive our industry, and today's honorees embody the hard work and commitment to shaping the workforce that propels aviation forward. I applaud the dedication of these airports and look forward to seeing the continual impact of their work."

The Airport Workforce Development Accreditation provides a structured, multi-level framework to help airports and their business partners address workforce challenges. This initiative equips airports and their business partners with a strategic blueprint for workforce development by enhancing skills, elevating employee engagement, and strengthening workforce readiness across the airport industry.

Comprised of five core levels, the Airport Workforce Development Accreditation framework is designed to provide an accumulative approach to workforce development across five levels, each requiring increased focus as an airport or airport business partner progresses. The five levels are:

• Level 1 - Building the Base: Participants establish foundational workforce practices and raise awareness about the airport's pivotal role in the community.
• Level 2 - Nurturing Talent: Participants align internal training programs with employee development opportunities through skill-gap analysis and individual learning plans.
• Level 3 - Cultivating Connections: Participants expand community outreach and create career pathways to secure future talent pipelines.
• Level 4 - Extending Influence: Participants formalize partnerships with educational institutions and industry collaborators for comprehensive, scalable development initiatives.
• Level 5 - Shaping Tomorrow: Participants achieve measurable improvements in workforce skills and implement sustainable, forward-looking workforce strategies that ensure long-term adaptability.

In its second year, ACI-NA congratulated six airport members, representing different size airports throughout the U.S. and Canada. For 2026, three airports achieved the Airport Workforce Development Accreditation at Level 1, including Houston Airport System, Naples Airport, and Rapid City Regional Airport. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport achieved Level 2, San Francisco International Airport achieved Level 3, and Los Angeles World Airports achieved Level 5.

The Airport Workforce Development Accreditation is administered by 4QD Strategy Consulting LLC, an advisory firm that provides clients with practical implementation assistance in matters of strategy, workforce development, and organization effectiveness.

Learn more about the ACI-NA Airport Workforce Development Accreditation at https://www.astrongerairportworkforce.org.

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