Data Protection Training

Data Protection refers to the set of laws and principles designed to protect personal data stored by organisations as either electronic or paper files. These regulations control how personal data is used, stored, and shared by organisations, government bodies, and businesses alike. Everyone responsible for handling personal data (e.g. data controllers and data processors) must follow strict guidelines and principles to ensure that personal information is used fairly and compliantly, and multinational companies will often have to comply with the data protection laws of more than one country.

So, why is data protection so important? Well, apart from the risk of audits – and even criminal prosecution – from the Information Commissioner’s Office (or similar authorities overseas), the main purpose of data protection regulation is to preserve the interests of the individuals whose personal data is being stored and processed. That’s why it’s so vital for organisations to protect themselves and their employees from risk by providing full and effective data protection training. With proper training, the likelihood of a data breach is greatly reduced.

Data protection training teaches the fundamental principles and practical requirements for complying with the eight principles of The Data Protection Act. As well as preparing staff for data handling responsibilities, this type of training will also educate employees on how to identify breaches (or potential breaches) of the Act and how to react and report these appropriately.

Data protection training is important because organisations have a responsibility to demonstrate their compliance when it comes to data protection and the new GDPR legislation (from May 2018). Organisations and individuals who breach data protection regulations risk criminal charges, large fines, and lasting reputational damage.

Everyone who is responsible for handling data must follow the data protection principles and should receive training on what these regulations are. Additionally, from May 2018, all staff involved in processing any sort of personal information – from employee records to customer contact details – must have an understanding of the new EU-wide GDPR legislation.

eLearning is an efficient way to provide training, but its chances of success can be boosted enormously if employers ensure to provide courses that are user-friendly and engaging. At DeltaNet International we believe in ‘refreshing eLearning’. In other words, eLearning that is fun to complete (i.e. uses story-telling, immersive environments and gamification) and that applies directly to the learners using it (e.g. how to apply legislation to their everyday job function). We’ve also created a whole host of microlearning courses that are perfect for refreshing and reinforcing key learning objectives, in short, five-minute bursts. What’s more, all our courseware is responsively designed to work on any device with internet access so users can truly access training anytime, any place.