Certified Data Protection Officer Training: A Guide
If you're interested in finding out more about training to be a data protection officer, this is the place for you. This article explores everything you need to know about data protection officer training.
What Is a Data Protection Officer?
A data protection officer (DPO) is a person who is responsible for the protection of personal data. The term was first defined by the EU's Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive (PECR). Data protection officers are in charge of ensuring their company is following the General Data Protection Regulation.
What does a Data Protection Officer Do?
A data protection officer is responsible for overseeing the company's compliance with GDPR. A DPO makes decisions to determine who has access to the data and who can and cannot make the data accessible to individuals, and they ensure data is not stored for longer than is necessary. The DPO will also work to ensure procedures are followed when processing personal data and inform the data subject of the processing. The information held by a controller or processor under GDPR can be divided into two areas: the first is the data subject's right to access their personal data; the second is the data subject's right to correct data. This means that the DPO must carry out a data review whenever a data subject requests that their personal data be changed, and the DPO must provide them with all of the following information:
- The basis on which the processing is carried out and a copy of the processing decision
- The reasons behind the processing decision
- A copy of the personal data that have been processed
How Do You Train to Be a Data Protection Officer?
There is no formal certification path — certification, or DPO status, is attained through on-the-job training, so a company which is keen to have a DPO must employ one and then train them up. The UK government's Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation provides a number of documents to support a DPO's training and certification. Most DPOs will be expected to have some background in compliance, law, data management or human resources. Candidates will still be expected to attend data protection officer training. There are a number of training providers who offer courses which enable those wishing to become DPOs to engage in the required professional development.
If you're interested in finding out more, you should contact a local training provider today.