Some 300 UK-based organisations bought – and tens of thousands of individual learners throughout the EU completed – Engage in Learning’s GDPR online learning materials in the run-up to this regulation coming into force on 25^th May.

According to Chris Horseman, Engage in Learning’s Managing Director, the GDPR programmes – available in various languages – were most popular with organisations in the financial services, IT and retail industries.

“Our GDPR programme has swiftly become one of our most popular programmes,” he said, “Moreover, it looks like it’s going to continue to be popular as our customers use it as a key part of their regular induction – or onboarding – programmes.”

Engage in Learning’s GDPR e-learning programme explains the General Data Protection Regulation, defines ‘personal data’, and explains some of the GDPR’s key terms, definitions and scope.

It explains that ‘personal data’ is data that can be used to identify a living individual, either on its own or in combination with other information. It adds that personal data can also be any data directly linked with a specific living individual.

“Among other things, the programme outlines the eight categories of ‘sensitive data’ that have strict rules relating to their collection. Financial information isn’t classified as sensitive data – but it’s controlled by the GDPR,” Horseman added.

“The programme deals with the central tenet of the GDPR: what you can do with the data you hold – involving collecting, recording, retrieving, disclosing and erasing data. It defines key roles and concepts involved in GDPR – and provides guidance on which activities are subject to the GDPR.

“Basically, it provides answers to the key questions:

• What’s the purpose of the GDPR?
• What’s personal data?
• What do the terms data subject, processing, data controller, consent and data breach mean?
• Who’s covered by the GDPR?
• What tasks are covered by the GDPR?

“Importantly, it also sets out how to stay compliant with GDPR,” he stated.

While the GDPR programme is one of Engage in Learning’s ‘flagship’ e-learning programmes, it’s merely one of a growing list of some 100 generic programmes in the company’s portfolio. This portfolio covers health & safety, compliance, leadership & management, business skills and IT & project management titles.

With clients including Bovis Homes, OCS, MAN Truck and Bus, Toyota, Historic England, Amnesty International and ZPG, as well as many small and medium-sized organisations in the UK and abroad, Engage in Learning’s turnover increased threefold in 2017 and it’s on target to continue this trend in 2018.

“It seems that corporate buyers of e-learning materials are impressed with the design, content, and the quality of our materials,” said Horseman.