Roadmap: finding the right data privacy career path for you

What is Data Protection?

To prevent unauthorised use of the personal data of individuals by organisations, data protection laws were introduced in many jurisdictions. To be operationally compliant with the laws, organisations should have a data protection management programme (DPMP) in place to translate the requirements of the law into their business practices.

• Data Protection 101: Why data privacy and DPOs matter

What is Governance, Risk Management and Compliance (GRC)?

GRC is a business strategy that enables an organisation to achieve regulatory compliance through effective risk management and governance. According to OCEG, GRC is an integrated suite of capabilities that aids an organisation to achieve principled performance - the reliable achievement of objectives while addressing uncertainty and acting with integrity.

• GRC 101: Why GRC capability is vital to your organisation

Why is it necessary to build up data protection / GRC competencies?

In today’s digital economy, organisations are collecting and analysing massive amounts of data for various business purposes. With rapid changes in the environment, data protection laws are being enacted to protect against the misuse of personal information that organisations possess. With new data protection regulations all over the world, demand for data protection expertise will increase rapidly over the years.

• Is there a shortage of talent in the data protection profession?

What are the job prospects?

Data Protection Excellence (DPEX) Centre, the learning and research arm of Straits Interactive, conducted research regarding Singapore’s Data Protection Job Demand in 2020 to gauge the market demand for data protection professionals in 2020, track and project the trend in the next few years, as well as, to gain insights and profile the demand for DPOs. According to the annual job demand research, data protection jobs increased by 106% in 2020 compared to 2019.

Sign up for a free DPEX network membership to access the Singapore Data Protection Job Demand research here.

Earlier in the year, the DPEX centre also hosted a webinar sharing these findings from the research. Check out the post-webinar forum page which has been populated with several questions and answers here.

What are the courses that I can take to upskill in data protection and GRC competencies?

Individuals can take various courses to upskill themselves in the field of data protection and governance and risk management.

• What is the learning roadmap for those who wish to be a DPO?

This article was updated on 1 October 2021.