Giving Back to YEG – Learning, Growing, Thriving

The Cause

We are the Association of Administrative Professionals: on the frontline of the organizations that we support. We are essential workers and we represent a strong workforce in your community.

Recently, we have all faced unprecedented and extraordinary circumstances. We are hearing from our members that have lost their jobs and are in desperate need of support. We believe we can answer the call; our Mission statement says it all:

“We strive to provide administrative professionals the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive by encouraging all members to add to their individual competencies, advance their leadership skills, realize their value in the workplace and community, and have confidence to excel in their careers.”

We feel that to understand the Association, we need to highlight how we began and how the focus was, and remains today, on enhancing the excellence of the administrative professional through education, knowledge sharing and skills building.

The AAP has held a proud and long established history. The Association formed in 1951 to establish a national standard of qualifications for senior secretaries.

The Qualified Administrative Assistant (QAA) designation was created by University of Toronto; 1967 the QAA was registered with the Trade Marks Office in Ottawa.

The Association’s crest portrayed the corporate image-the open book and quill. The book, the mark of the student, the seeker of improvement; the quill, the mark of the scribe, one who executes and puts to use the knowledge acquired.

Fast forward 10 years and this is where our rebrand story begins. The Association did not start out with the name that we use today, it was originally called the Association of Administrative Assistants (AAA). Member demand and public perception called for an update to the name; something less limiting than ‘administrative assistants’.

In 2016, the name of the organization was changed to the Association of Administrative Professionals and along with this evolution came a renaming of the designation to the Canadian Certified Administrative Professional (CCAP) and most recently, the Canadian Certified Administrative Professional Associate (CCAPA). These new names reflect the Association’s desire to welcome members from all levels and fields of the administrative profession, from student to skilled professional and it reflects our purpose to assist members in expanding their education by providing growth opportunities.

Who Will it Benefit?

Success in the CCAPA program would mean validation of critical job competencies for the administrative professional. Certified employees overwhelmingly report that their designation helps differentiate them from their peers and provides them with greater professional recognition.

CCAPA Certification benefits employers in a number of ways:
• Employers can be confident in the knowledge, skills and abilities of certified employees;
• It allows employers to feel confident in knowing that skills will be kept current;
• It provides access to a national network with the ability to share knowledge, trends, and challenges; and
• It helps foster employee motivation and engagement

By pursuing this certification, individuals will improve upon their knowledge, skills and abilities, and increase confidence and credibility, while increasing the value and proficiency that one brings to their organization. These benefits are mutual, for the employee and the employer and is an investment that will bring a successful return to both parties.