The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) requires organisations that process personal data to ensure staff are appropriately trained. But how do you know which training option you need?

Choosing the wrong course inevitably leads to poor outcomes – overspend on certificates some staff don’t need or undertraining of those with real accountability.

This guide explains the difference between Certified GDPR Foundation training and GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 staff awareness e-learning, who each is for and how to choose with confidence.

Who each course is for

Most organisations need both. Awareness training builds everyday competence across the workforce, whereas Foundation training equips the managers who must design, oversee and evidence compliance.

Foundation training – for people who own GDPR delivery

Choose Foundation if you are tasking individuals to implement, advise on, or evidence GDPR compliance. Typical attendees:

• Compliance, risk and governance managers.
• DPOs and privacy managers.
• IT and information security managers.
• HR, marketing and operations managers.
• Legal counsel and project managers.
• Career switchers moving into privacy roles.

These learners handle DSARs, advise colleagues, shape policies, support audits and manage risk. Foundation gives them a recognised qualification and the practical grounding to perform these duties.

Awareness training – for staff who handle personal data day to day

Choose awareness for broad coverage across teams that touch personal data but do not design your compliance framework. Typical audiences:

• Front-line and customer-facing staff.
• Service desk and operations teams.
• Marketing assistants and coordinators.
• Administrators and back-office roles.
• New starters who need GDPR basics.

Awareness focuses on recognising personal data, understanding dos and don’ts, and following your processes. It reduces human error and supports a privacy culture.

Outcomes (learning results)

Foundation training – operational competence and confidence

Graduates should be able to:

• Handle and triage DSARs correctly.
• Draft, review and update policies and procedures.
• Advise colleagues on lawful bases, consent and retention.
• Prepare evidence for audits and respond to incidents.
• Contribute to risk assessments and DPIAs.
• Progress towards specialist roles, including DPO.

The result is day-one confidence for those accountable for delivery.

Awareness training – risk reduction at scale

Learners should be able to:

• Recognise personal data and apply the CIA principles.
• Spot common risks such as mishandling, oversharing or insecure storage.
• Follow internal processes and ask for help when unsure.
• Interact confidently with customers and suppliers.
• Play their part in safeguarding data across functions.

The result is fewer avoidable errors and stronger baseline compliance.

Format and certification

Foundation training – instructor-led, accredited exam available

• One-day self-paced online format with expert-designed content. (Instructor-led options also available.)
• Comprehensive syllabus covering data protection principles, data subjects’ rights, DSARs (data subject access requests), DPIAs (data protection impact assessments), the DPO (data protection officer) role, security, incident response and data breach reporting, accountability, and more.
• Recognised certification: the UK GDPR Foundation (UK GDPR F) qualification, accredited by IBITGQ, an ISO 17024-accredited personnel certification body.

Awareness training – short, scalable e-learning

• 40-minute e-learning module, mobile-friendly.
• Annual subscription with easy user management.
• Hosted on our LMS (learning management system) or deployable to yours as a SCORM package. Track completion and results.
• Supports Article 39 duties by reinforcing staff awareness across the organisation.

Typical use cases

Foundation training

• Onboarding new compliance, risk, IT or HR managers who will own GDPR delivery.
• Upskilling managers who advise teams on lawful processing and data handling.
• Preparing career pivoters for entry-level privacy roles.
• Equipping project and product leads to embed privacy by design.

Awareness training

• Annual refresher for all staff who handle personal data.
• Induction training for new starters.
• Targeted refreshers after a process change or incident.
• Rolling out a privacy culture across distributed or high-turnover teams.

Comparison table

Decision guide: how to choose the right GDPR training for your teams

• If individuals will design, implement or evidence GDPR compliance, choose Foundation training. They need depth, scope and a recognised qualification.
• If staff handle personal data and must follow established processes – choose Awareness training. They need clear rules and practical dos and don’ts.
• If you are building a cross-functional privacy programme – deploy both: Awareness training for everyone; Foundation training for those accountable (Compliance, IT, Information Security, HR, Marketing, Legal, Ops).
• If you must show credible capability to customers, auditors or regulators – prioritise Foundation training for your leads, supported by organisation-wide Awareness training completions.

Why organisations usually deploy both

GDPR accountability sits with leadership and designated managers, but risk often materialises through everyday behaviour. A blended approach is most effective:

• Foundation equips a smaller group to interpret the law, set policy and advise.
• Awareness ensures everyone else follows the rules in practice.

Together they reduce incidents, improve responses, and provide a clear audit trail of training and competence.

Book your GDPR training now