Kerry Smith, Law and Governance Officer at Cherwell District Council, completed Damar Training’s Data Protection and Information Governance Apprenticeship in 2026.
First steps: Discovering a passion for information governance
Before embarking on her apprenticeship, Kerry worked closely with the Assistant Director of Law and Governance at Cherwell District Council, supporting robust governance and decision-making across the authority.
“My primary responsibilities included reviewing and overseeing the governance arrangements for two council-owned companies, ensuring they operated in line with legal and regulatory requirements,” Kerry explained.
Her pathway into information governance opened up when she stepped in to support the information governance team during a period of staff shortages. Following the departure of the Information Governance Manager, Kerry took on a role coordinating Freedom of Information (FOI), Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) and Subject Access Request (SAR) processes.
“As I became more involved, I identified opportunities to improve existing practices and implemented changes that made processes more efficient and effective,” Kerry said. “Through this experience, I developed a genuine interest in information governance and recognised the importance of data protection. The apprenticeship with Damar Training presented an excellent opportunity to build on this practical experience, develop my knowledge further and gain a recognised qualification in the field.”
Undertaking an apprenticeship: Balancing commitments and mastering complex legislation
As it is for many apprentices initially, taking on a formal qualification alongside an established career and personal commitments was initially daunting for Kerry. However, she soon found that the programme’s structure complemented her working life.
“I quickly saw how the apprenticeship was designed to support learning in the workplace. Much of what I was studying could be directly applied to my day-to-day role, enabling me to make meaningful improvements to team processes and contribute positively to the organisation. The practical nature of the apprenticeship helped me develop new skills while immediately putting my learning into practice, making the experience both manageable and highly rewarding.”
A central part of that journey for Kerry was developing a firm grasp of detailed legal frameworks; “At first, the volume and complexity of the information felt daunting, but once I understood the fundamentals, I found that my knowledge grew every time I applied it in a real-life situation.”
To embed her learning into daily practice, Kerry adopted simple, effective visual techniques at her desk: “I printed the data protection principles and lawful bases for processing and kept them visible at my workstation at all times. I even considered getting them printed on a coffee mug, which I still may do! I learned that when tackling any data protection issue, the principles should be your starting point. Having them readily visible served as a constant reminder and helped me develop good habits and confidence in my decision-making.”
The impact: Driving organisational change through practical projects
The synergy between structured learning and on-the-job application allowed Kerry to deliver immediate, tangible value for Cherwell District Council.
“One of the greatest benefits of the apprenticeship was the opportunity to apply my learning directly to my role,” Kerry explained. “The combination of formal training and practical, on-the-job experience allowed me to develop my knowledge and skills much more quickly than through study alone. As I learned new concepts and best practices, I was able to immediately put them into practice within the organisation.”
This was clearly demonstrated in Kerry’s apprenticeship project, which focused on overhauling the council’s breach management procedures.
“Through researching best practice, analysing our existing arrangements and implementing changes to reporting procedures, I was able to introduce improvements that have had a positive impact across the organisation,” Kerry shared. “The changes have not only helped to reduce the number of breaches and incidents but have also increased staff awareness and understanding of the difference between an incident and a reportable breach. As a result, we all now have more consistent reporting, better decision-making and greater confidence in how information governance issues are managed.”
Kevin Larner, Information Governance and Localism Manager and Kerry’s supervisor, added, “Kerry’s apprenticeship has had tangible benefits for the council. What she has learned has given her a more holistic view of information governance, and the confidence to propose and implement significant improvements to our policies and processes.”
Personal progress: Developing a strategic perspective and leadership confidence
As her studies progressed, Kerry’s understanding broadened from handling operational processes to seeing how the entire information governance ecosystem connects. A significant breakthrough came in how she viewed key statutory documentation.
“One of the biggest ‘aha’ moments for me was developing a much deeper understanding of the ROPA and recognising its value beyond being a simple compliance document,” Kerry reflected. “Before the apprenticeship, I viewed the ROPA primarily as a record of the organisation’s processing activities. Through my studies and practical experience, I came to understand that it should be a live document that supports wider information governance and data protection activities.”
The shift in perspective and identifying where additional compliance can serve as a monitoring opportunity, helped Kerry see the connections between different areas of information governance, enhancing her strategic understanding of data protection and compliance.
Today, Kerry leads on reviewing Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs), Data Sharing Agreements (DSAs), and Data Processing Agreements (DPAs), and plays a leading role in delivering the council’s Information Governance Improvement Programme. Her portfolio has included updating the council-wide ROPA, refreshing privacy notices and updating data protection policies, with an upcoming records management project planned in close collaboration with the IT department.
Kerry shared, “The apprenticeship has given me the confidence to challenge existing practices, recommend improvements and lead change initiatives that have delivered tangible benefits for both the information governance team and the wider organisation.”
Next steps: Looking ahead to an exciting future
Completing the programme has firmly defined Kerry’s long-term career aspirations within the field.
“The apprenticeship has confirmed that information governance is the career path I want to pursue,” Kerry said. “My immediate focus is to continue developing my expertise across all aspects of information governance, data protection and records management while building on the experience I have gained in leading improvement projects and organisational change. The apprenticeship has provided a strong foundation, but I see professional development as an ongoing journey. I am committed to continuing my learning and gaining further experience.”
Advice for apprentices: Go for it!
For anyone considering taking on an apprenticeship, Kerry’s advice is straightforward and encouraging – go for it.
“An apprenticeship provides a unique opportunity to learn while applying your knowledge in a real-world environment. There will be times when balancing work, study and personal commitments feels challenging, but the benefits far outweigh the difficulties. The apprenticeship not only helped me gain specialist knowledge and a recognised qualification, but it also increased my confidence, broadened my career opportunities and enabled me to make a tangible difference within my organisation. The more you engage with the process, the more you will gain from it. Looking back, undertaking the apprenticeship was one of the best professional development decisions I have made. I have finally found a career path that I love!”