Getting your SOC 2 can be a complex process. It requires knowledge of compliance policies and prior experience, which can sometimes create skills gaps for small or inexperienced teams. Many organizations turn to SOC 2 training courses to fill those gaps.
Should you be investing in SOC 2 training for your compliance team? In this article, we’ll explain what SOC 2 training is, the pros and cons of getting SOC 2 training, and some alternatives to consider.
What is SOC 2 training?
SOC 2 training is a dedicated program or course designed to educate professionals about SOC 2, its requirements, and how to apply it. These courses may be offered in person or online. They’re intended for professionals who will be participating in their organization’s SOC 2 compliance process.
There are many kinds of SOC 2 courses designed for specific individuals and teams that educate them on their role in SOC 2. These could be for technology and information security teams, human resources teams, administrative leaders, and other departments.
{{cta_withimage1}}
SOC 2 training vs. SOC 2 audit training
It’s important to understand what type of training you need when seeking a SOC 2 course. You’ll want to avoid SOC 2 audit training courses as these are meant to teach CPAs how to become SOC 2 auditors. While the names are similar, these courses have very different purposes.
Pros and cons of SOC 2 compliance training
Should you get your team SOC 2 training? Keep these top pros and cons in mind.
Pro: Fill knowledge gaps
There’s a lot that goes into getting a SOC 2. For individuals who’ve never completed or only played a small role in a SOC 2 compliance project, it can be difficult to get all the necessary information online. A training course can help establish a strong knowledge base to get your team started and give them the foundation to expand upon as they work through the project.
Con: Time and money costs
Every course comes at a cost, whether it’s time, money, or both. Some courses take several days to complete, which could impact team productivity, especially if getting a SOC 2 isn’t their only responsibility.
Additionally, SOC 2 training courses are expensive. You may find free online training courses, but many of these courses are not very informative or are being offered as a way to sell a product.
Pro: Saving time internally
If a SOC 2 training course is an alternative to training teams internally, it can save you time that you would’ve spent training your teams and stakeholders. For example, if you need to train your HR team on their role within SOC 2 compliance, you can send them to learn what they need to know and save yourself time to work on other aspects of the project.
Con: Varying quality
If you find a well-constructed, informative SOC 2 training course, it can be a strong asset that helps your compliance project. However, the quality and accuracy of SOC 2 training courses can vary. Some courses claim they teach the basics of SOC 2 compliance but all they share with you is how to use their compliance product. This is particularly common among free courses, but some paid courses do this as well.
Simplify your SOC 2 with or without training
Deciding whether to send your team to a SOC 2 training will depend on your team’s budget, timeline, and experience level. If getting training is out of reach for your organization, consider compliance automation as an alternative that can help fill the knowledge gaps.
Vanta’s trust management platform with compliance automation capabilities can help you scope your SOC 2 report, identify areas of non-compliance, give you a checklist of actions to help you make the needed changes, and run tests to ensure your controls are effective. With compliance automation, you get the expertise that comes from a SOC 2 training, without needing to invest any additional time or funds to train your employees.
Learn how to automate your SOC 2 by requesting a demo.
{{cta_testimonial2}}
Additional SOC 2 resources
Does your team need SOC 2 training?
Additional SOC 2 resources
Getting your SOC 2 can be a complex process. It requires knowledge of compliance policies and prior experience, which can sometimes create skills gaps for small or inexperienced teams. Many organizations turn to SOC 2 training courses to fill those gaps.
Should you be investing in SOC 2 training for your compliance team? In this article, we’ll explain what SOC 2 training is, the pros and cons of getting SOC 2 training, and some alternatives to consider.
What is SOC 2 training?
SOC 2 training is a dedicated program or course designed to educate professionals about SOC 2, its requirements, and how to apply it. These courses may be offered in person or online. They’re intended for professionals who will be participating in their organization’s SOC 2 compliance process.
There are many kinds of SOC 2 courses designed for specific individuals and teams that educate them on their role in SOC 2. These could be for technology and information security teams, human resources teams, administrative leaders, and other departments.
{{cta_withimage1}}
SOC 2 training vs. SOC 2 audit training
It’s important to understand what type of training you need when seeking a SOC 2 course. You’ll want to avoid SOC 2 audit training courses as these are meant to teach CPAs how to become SOC 2 auditors. While the names are similar, these courses have very different purposes.
Pros and cons of SOC 2 compliance training
Should you get your team SOC 2 training? Keep these top pros and cons in mind.
Pro: Fill knowledge gaps
There’s a lot that goes into getting a SOC 2. For individuals who’ve never completed or only played a small role in a SOC 2 compliance project, it can be difficult to get all the necessary information online. A training course can help establish a strong knowledge base to get your team started and give them the foundation to expand upon as they work through the project.
Con: Time and money costs
Every course comes at a cost, whether it’s time, money, or both. Some courses take several days to complete, which could impact team productivity, especially if getting a SOC 2 isn’t their only responsibility.
Additionally, SOC 2 training courses are expensive. You may find free online training courses, but many of these courses are not very informative or are being offered as a way to sell a product.
Pro: Saving time internally
If a SOC 2 training course is an alternative to training teams internally, it can save you time that you would’ve spent training your teams and stakeholders. For example, if you need to train your HR team on their role within SOC 2 compliance, you can send them to learn what they need to know and save yourself time to work on other aspects of the project.
Con: Varying quality
If you find a well-constructed, informative SOC 2 training course, it can be a strong asset that helps your compliance project. However, the quality and accuracy of SOC 2 training courses can vary. Some courses claim they teach the basics of SOC 2 compliance but all they share with you is how to use their compliance product. This is particularly common among free courses, but some paid courses do this as well.
Simplify your SOC 2 with or without training
Deciding whether to send your team to a SOC 2 training will depend on your team’s budget, timeline, and experience level. If getting training is out of reach for your organization, consider compliance automation as an alternative that can help fill the knowledge gaps.
Vanta’s trust management platform with compliance automation capabilities can help you scope your SOC 2 report, identify areas of non-compliance, give you a checklist of actions to help you make the needed changes, and run tests to ensure your controls are effective. With compliance automation, you get the expertise that comes from a SOC 2 training, without needing to invest any additional time or funds to train your employees.
Learn how to automate your SOC 2 by requesting a demo.
{{cta_testimonial2}}
Your checklist to SOC 2 compliance
Need to get your SOC 2 report but not sure where to start? This guide walks you through the steps to attain your SOC 2.
Your checklist to SOC 2 compliance
Need to get your SOC 2 report but not sure where to start? This guide walks you through the steps to attain your SOC 2.
Your checklist to SOC 2 compliance
Need to get your SOC 2 report but not sure where to start? This guide walks you through the steps to attain your SOC 2.
Vanta cut our audit time in half, saved us well over six figures in costs, and helped us build more trust with enterprise prospects.”
Danny Macias, VP of IT & Enterprise Security | Newfront
Explore more SOC 2 articles
Introduction to SOC 2
Preparing for a SOC 2 audit
SOC 2 reporting and documentation
Streamlining SOC 2 compliance
SOC differences and similarities
Additional SOC 2 resources
Get started with SOC 2
Start your SOC 2 journey with these related resources.
The SOC 2 Compliance Checklist
Simplify and expedite your company’s SOC 2 audit and report process with Vanta. This checklist walks through the SOC 2 attestation process.
Vanta in Action: Compliance Automation
Demonstrating security compliance with a framework like SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, etc. is not only essential for scaling your business and raising capital, it also builds an important foundation of trust.
Coffee & Compliance: Streamlining SOC 2 compliance with Vanta and AWS
SOC 2 is a sought-after security framework for growing SaaS companies. It demonstrates your ability to safeguard the privacy and security of your customer data. But achieving it can be time-consuming and expensive.
