www.ppa.com/
The PPA provides a lot of services, including photo training, certifications, competitions, judging, training in photo business and marketing etc. It is a way to gain mastery w/o a university or school.
Professional Photographers of America began providing education and a sense of community to the photography industry since 1880. To those offerings, the association has since added business and personal protection, business discounts, professional recognition, and more. Today, PPA is the world’s largest not-for- profit association for professional photographers, with more than 18,000 members in 64 countries. It is an association that seeks to increase its members’ business savvy as well as broaden their creative scope. It aims to advance their careers by providing them with all the tools for success.