New Development in Data Protection Apprenticeships

Damar Training is delighted to announce that it has teamed up with Act Now Training, a leading information governance consultancy, as the preferred supplier of training materials for the new Data Protection and Information Governance Practitioner apprenticeship. The apprenticeship, which only received final approval in March, will help develop the skills of those working in the increasingly important fields of data protection and information governance.

With the rapid advancement of technology, there is a huge amount of personal data being processed by organisations, which is the subject of important decisions affecting every aspect of peoples’ lives. This poses significant legal and ethical challenges, as well as the risk of incurring considerable fines from regulators for noncompliance. This apprenticeship aims to develop individuals into accomplished data protection and information governance practitioners with the knowledge, skills and competencies to address these challenges.

Damar’s managing director, Jonathan Bourne, commented:

“We want apprenticeships to create real, long-term value for apprentices and organisations. It is vital therefore that we work with partners who really understand not only the technical detail but also the needs of employers.

Act Now Training are acknowledged as leaders in the field, having recently won the Information and Records Management Society (IRMS) Supplier of the Year award for the second consecutive year. I am delighted therefore that we are able to bring together their 20 years of deep sector expertise with Damar’s 40+ year record of delivering apprenticeships in business and professional services.”

Ibrahim Hasan, managing director, Act Now Training, added:

“We are excited to be working with Damar Training to help deliver this much needed apprenticeship. We are committed to developing the information governance (IG) sector and encouraging a diverse range of entrants to the profession. We have looked at every aspect of the IG apprenticeship standard to ensure that the training materials equip budding IG officers with the knowledge and skills they need to implement the full range of IG legislation in a practical way.”

This apprenticeship has already sparked significant interest, particularly among large public and private sector organisations and professional services firms. Damar has also assembled an employer reference group that is feeding into the design process in real time to ensure that the programme truly works for employers.

The employer reference group met for the first time on May 25. It included industry professionals across a a variety of sectors including private and public health care, financial services, local and national government, education, IT, and data consultancy, some of whom were part of the apprenticeship trailblazer group.

If your organisation is interested in the apprenticeship please get in touch. You can also read more about the apprenticeship standard on our website.