The purpose of Career Development Education is to develop, through individual career management and rigorous certification criteria, Air Force and Space Force professionals fully qualified to field, launch and employ systems and strategies to achieve national security objectives. Air Force and Space Force professionals must be capable of managing complex systems and programs; creating new technology, doctrine, and concepts of operation; operating a wide range of platforms and missions; and integrating joint warfighting and space power. This requires critical thinking and problem-solving skills to deliver combat capability using increasingly complicated and dynamic systems and technologies. The goal of Career Development Education is to cultivate highly specialized and expertly skilled Air Force and Space Force professionals who can meet the challenges of a rapidly developing political and technological landscape.

Retired Air Force service members are not eligible for Career Development Education.

DAFI 36-2686 – Officer Development
https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a1/publication/dafi36-2686/dafi36-2686.pdf

Air Force Handbook 36-2647 - Competency Modeling
https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a1/publication/afh36-2647/afh36-2647.pdf

AFI 36-3701 - Space Professional Development Program
https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/saf_sp/publication/afi36-3701/afi_36-3701.pdf

Air Force Accessions Center
https://www.afaccessionscenter.af.mil/

DAFI 36-2685 – Total Force Enlisted Developmental Education
https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a1/publication/dafi36-2685/dafi36-2685.pdf

Air Education Training and Command (AETC)
https://www.aetc.af.mil/

Air Force Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (AF COOL)
https://afvec.us.af.mil/afvec/af-cool/welcome

Air Force Virtual Education Center (AFVEC)
https://afvec.us.af.mil/afvec/public/welcome

Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT)
https://www.afit.edu/