- 2 0 0 0 s ▁revers ed ▁the ▁tr ends ▁of ▁earlier ▁years ▁and ▁created ▁a ▁significant ▁short age ▁of ▁available ▁land men . ▁The ▁subsequent ▁global ▁financial ▁collapse ▁that ▁began ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁once ▁again ▁revers ed ▁the ▁bo om ▁and ▁employ ment ▁opportun ities ▁will ▁likely ▁continue ▁their ▁cy clic al ▁nature ▁for ▁years ▁to ▁come . ▁ ▁American ▁Association ▁of ▁Professional ▁Land men ▁▁ ▁The ▁American ▁Association ▁of ▁Professional ▁Land men ▁( A AP L ) ▁( until ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁" American ▁Association ▁of ▁Pet role um ▁Land men ") ▁is ▁an ▁organization ▁of ▁professional ▁land men , ▁who ▁agree ▁to ▁a ▁standard ▁code ▁of ▁eth ics , ▁a ▁mission ▁statement ▁and ▁other ▁policies . ▁ ▁The ▁A AP L ▁offers ▁cert ifications ▁recognized ▁throughout ▁the ▁industry ▁as ▁indic ators ▁of ▁compet ency , ▁prof ic iency ▁and ▁professional ism . ▁A AP L ▁offers ▁three ▁cert ifications ▁that ▁are ▁proven ▁to ▁enh ance ▁a ▁member ' s ▁cred ibility ▁in ▁the ▁industry ▁and ▁to ▁increase ▁ear ning ▁potential ▁for ▁land men . ▁ ▁Register ed ▁Land man ▁( RL ) ▁– ▁The ▁initial ▁level ▁of ▁cert ification , ▁R L ▁cert ification ▁sign ifies ▁a ▁fundamental ▁knowledge ▁of ▁the ▁land ▁industry ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁land man ' s ▁commit ment ▁to ▁further ing ▁their ▁education . ▁This ▁cert ification ▁level ▁requires ▁the ▁applic ant ▁to ▁be ▁spons ored ▁by ▁one ▁R PL ▁and ▁complete ▁a ▁" take ▁home " ▁test ▁with