Tag: Apprenticeship

Data Protection and IG Practitioner Launch Event

On 7th September, we celebrated the launch of the new Data Protection and Information Governance Practitioner Apprenticeship. The apprenticeship, which received final approval in March, will help develop the skills of those working in the increasingly important fields of data protection and information governance.  Act Now Training has teamed up with leading apprenticeship provider, Damar Training, to provide the materials and expertise underpinning the new apprenticeship. 

The launch event, held at The Bloc in Manchester, was attended by data protection experts and learning and development leads from a wide range of public and private sector organisations across England. Attendees included members of the Trailblazer Group that designed the apprenticeship and also members of Damar’s employer reference group. The latter has been a close part of the programme design process, ensuring that the programme meets the needs of employers in this rapidly growing sector.

Attendees enjoyed talks during the event from Jonathan Bourne (Managing Director, Damar Training), Ibrahim Hasan (Director, Act Now Training) and Phillipa Nazari (Assistant Director Information Governance and Data Protection Officer, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Transport for Greater Manchester). Phillipa was also the chair of the Trailblazer Group.

Jonathan Bourne commented:

“The data protection apprenticeship is much needed. It helps address skills shortages in data protection but also enables organisations to improve compliance, reduce regulatory and legal risk and increase their efficiency. We are delighted to be working with so many committed employers who, like us, see the apprenticeship as one of the keys to improved capability in data protection and information governance.”

Ibrahim Hasan added:

“We are excited to be working with Damar Training on this much needed apprenticeship. It will develop the information governance profession by encouraging a diverse range of new information governance professionals with the knowledge and skills to enable them to tackle the data protection challenges ahead.”

Phillipa commented:

“It has been a great honour to give something back to the profession that will leave a lasting legacy for employers. Each individual and organisation that benefits from the apprenticeship will be ensuring that a fundamental human right is upheld and organisations can derive value and insight from their data and information in the appropriate, legal and ethical way. I hope that the apprenticeship will open up opportunities for a rich and varied career and be accessible for an even more diverse pool of talent. It’s been needed for a long time and now the future looks bright.” 

The apprenticeship is available to employers across England. The first cohort of apprentices on this exciting and innovative new programme will start in October. 

If your organisation is interested in the apprenticeship please get in touch with us to discuss further. 

Have you Considered an Apprentice?

Act Now Training has teamed up with Damar Training on materials and expertise underpinning its new Data Protection and Information Governance Practitioner Level 4 Apprenticeship.


The apprenticeship 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 people’s lives. This poses significant legal and ethical challenges, as well as the risk of incurring considerable fines from regulators for non compliance.

This apprenticeship aims to develop individuals into accomplished data protection and information governance practitioners with the knowledge, skills and competencies to address these challenges.

If you know someone who you think would benefit from doing an apprenticeship in DP and IG, then this may be the perfect solution for them.
Places are limited for each cohort. Cohorts start in September, January and May.

Further details can be found at https://www.actnow.org.uk/apprenticeship

New DP and IG Practitioner Apprenticeship

Act Now Training has teamed up with Damar Training on materials and expertise underpinning its new Data Protection and Information Governance Practitioner Level 4 Apprenticeship.

The apprenticeship, which 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 people’s lives. This poses significant legal and ethical challenges, as well as the risk of incurring considerable fines from regulators for non compliance. 

This apprenticeship aims to develop individuals into accomplished data protection and information governance practitioners with the knowledge, skills and competencies to address these challenges.

Ibrahim Hasan, Director of Act Now, said:

“We are excited to be working Damar Training to help deliver this much needed apprenticeship. We are committed to developing the IG sector and encouraging a diverse range of entrants to the IG profession. We have looked at every aspect of the IG Apprenticeship standard to ensure 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.”

Damar’s managing director, Jonathan Bourne, added:

“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 apprenticeship in business and professional services.”

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 works for employers.

The employer reference group met for the first time on May 25. It included industry professionals across 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 with us to discuss further.

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