GDPR Compliance Training

GDPR compliance should be an ongoing process and business must regularly review and, when necessary, update their policies, procedures and training to maintain compliance. GDPR compliance training is training around the General Data Protection Regulation that introduces users to the basics of data, the different data roles within an organisation, individual’s rights to access and to be informed. Ideally, it will include real-world scenarios and interactive elements to ensure users truly understand the material and would know how to apply it in a real-world situation.

Any employee who collects, processes or stores data as part of their responsibilities, needs to be trained in data protection rules and regulations, including business owners, directors, managers, supervisors, staff and contractors.

While GDPR training may or may not be mandatory, depending on your jurisdiction and the type of organisation, the bottom line is that GDPR compliance is mandatory. Training that is relevant to each user’s specific role and responsibilities and that includes realistic scenarios and the option to customise can go a long way in ensuring that staff understand and have the tools they need to comply with the regulation.

There’s no such thing as certified GDPR training. The ICO has the power to regulate:

the establishment of data protection certification mechanisms and of data protection seals and marks, for the purpose of demonstrating compliance with this Regulation of processing operations by controllers and processors.

However it has not done so to date, nor have the ICO released any kind of guidance or documentation in regards to certified or accredited GDPR training. There are no certifications available for GDPR, as there are not even accredited bodies who can provide such certification.

The EU does not yet have a European data protection seal approved by the European Data Protection Board. On a national level, some developments are now starting to emerge.

Keep in mind that certification to ISO standards is not the same as having GDPR certification.

Employee GDPR training is training that trains employees on the specifics of the General Data Protection Regulation.

GDPR training is most effective when it is focused, role-based training which relates to the specific requirements of a person’s job. This means those in the marketing department understand the requirements and rules on marketing and consent, while those in IT know about encryption rules and keeping data safe.

Role-based, relevant training is more effective than standardised courses, both in terms of time not being wasted, and ensuring that actual requirements are understood and used in an individual’s working life.

The length of GDPR training can vary, depending on who is taking the course, what their role is, and what they want to get out of it. VinciWorks has a variety of training courses of varying lengths, from five minute knowledge checks, to basic 20 and 30 minute overviews, to in-depth, 30-45 minute comprehensive courses.