The Learning Colleague

Tag: grc

  • How I Created a 10-Week DIY Compliance Officer Training Program (No Job Required)

    Breaking into compliance is tough—you need experience to get hired, but you need a job to gain experience. So, I decided to simulate my own compliance internship with a structured 10-week program that replicates real-world tasks. Here’s the deep dive into how it works.

    Why I Built This Plan

    Most entry-level compliance job descriptions ask for skills like:

    • Regulatory change management
    • Compliance Risk Management Plans (CRMPs)
    • Monitoring & reporting
    • Ethics & whistleblowing frameworks

    But how do you learn these before getting hired? Traditional courses teach theory—this plan forces hands-on application by creating actual deliverables used in the field.

    The 10-Week Compliance Simulation Breakdown

    🟧 Core Components

    ✔ Governance-first mindset (King IV, Three Lines of Defense)

    ✔ Risk-based approach (ISO 31000, GACP)

    ✔ Real-world work processes (drafting policies, regulator communications)

    ✔ Professional-grade deliverables (reports, logs, dashboards)

    🟧 Weekly Deep Dives

    Week 1: Compliance & Governance Foundations

    • Task: Draft a Compliance Charter + Three Lines of Defense explainer
    • Deliverables: Reflection essay, 3-slide presentation, annotated policy
    • Key Takeaway: Compliance isn’t just rules—it’s about accountability & transparency.

    Week 4: CRMP & Control Testing

    • Task: Build a Control Effectiveness Testing Worksheet
    • Deliverables: Full CRMP document, executive summary
    • Key Takeaway: Not all controls are equal—prioritize based on risk.

    Week 7: Regulator Engagement & Inspection Readiness

    • Task: Create an FSCA Inspection Readiness Checklist
    • Deliverables: Regulator communication SOP, notification letter templates
    • Key Takeaway: Proactive regulator relationships prevent crises.

    Week 10: GRC Simulation & Portfolio Wrap-Up

    • Task: Simulate a GRC system (Excel/Airtable)
    • Deliverables: Full compliance portfolio, final presentation
    • Key Takeaway: Documentation is evidence of compliance—not just paperwork.

    (Full breakdown in the [attached plan PDF].)

    How This Prepares You for Real Compliance Work

    ✅ Proof of Skills: Tangible work samples > generic certifications.

    ✅ Regulator-Ready Mindset: Weekly prompts like “What would I show the FSCA in an inspection?”

    ✅ Employable Outputs: Policies, logs, reports you’d actually use on the job.

    Example:

    (Embed a snippet of the Regulatory Universe spreadsheet or Monitoring Report template.)

    Who Should Try This?

    🔹 Career switchers needing compliance experience

    🔹 Students/Graduates wanting a competitive edge

    🔹 Professionals upskilling into GRC roles

    Want to Follow Along?

    I’ll be:

    📌 Posting weekly recaps (key lessons, mistakes, and templates)

    📌 Sharing free resources (Notion dashboards, Excel tools)