This privacy policy sets out how The Publishing Training Centre (PTC) and Publishing Qualifications Board (PQB) uses and protects any information that you give us when you use this website.

The Publishing Training Centre Group is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

The Publishing Training Centre Group may change this policy by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This policy is effective from 24 April 2018.

The Publishing Training Centre Foundation Group (PTC) is the owner of the information collected on this site. SoftForge, provider of this website/learning platform, is acting as the Data Processor. Neither PTC nor SoftForge will sell, share or rent this information to any other companies.

What we collect

We may collect the following information:

• name and job title
• contact information including email address
• demographic information such as postcode, and inclusivity and diversity data (anonymous)
• information about your preferences and interests as part of your personal profile (please note these fields are not mandatory)

What we do with the information we gather

We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons:

• Internal record keeping.
• We may use the information to improve our products and services.
• We may periodically send promotional emails about new products, special offers or other information which we think you may find interesting using the email address which you have provided, as long as you have opted in to this process.
• From time to time, we may also use your information to contact you for market research purposes. We may contact you by email, phone or mail. We may use the information to customise the website according to your interests.

Retention of Personal Data

If you have booked on a Short Course, enrolled on a Self-Study Tutor-Guided course or enrolled on an E-Learning Module with the Publishing Training Centre Group, we will retain your personal data. We will maintain your full record for as long as necessary for any foreseeable verification, audit or statistical returns. Information on your Course Registration and final award where applicable will be kept in perpetuity.

Your rights

You are entitled to access your personal data so that you are aware of and can verify the lawfulness of the processing. This is achieved through the mechanism of a Subject Access Request (SAR) you can contact us by emailing .

You are entitled to have personal data rectified if it is inaccurate or incomplete. We will respond within one month of your request.

You may request the deletion or removal of personal data where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing. The Right to Erasure does not provide an absolute 'right to be forgotten', however, you do have a right to have personal data erased and to prevent processing in specific circumstances.

• Where the personal data is no longer necessary in relation to the purpose for which it was originally collected/processed
• When you withdraw consent
• When you object to the processing and there is no overriding legitimate interest for continuing the processing
• When the personal data was unlawfully processed
• When the personal data has to be erased in order to comply with a legal obligation

Freelance Finder

If you have successfully completed a Distance Learning course with The Publishing Training Centre, you will be able to add your information to the Freelance Finder. This allows potential clients, who are searching for freelance suppliers, to contact you.

All information in this section is entirely in your control. You can change and update the information at any time by logging in to the site, then clicking on the Profile link at the top of the page. Click on the Freelance Finder tab and change the information, or remove any information you do not wish to display. You can also deactivate your entry completely by clicking on the tick-box next to 'List in Directory'.

If you no longer wish your data to be stored on our site, even in an unpublished state, please email  to request its removal.

Security

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.

Controlling your personal information

You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:

• You will be able to unsubscribe from any of our email newsletters using the 'unsubscribe' link at the bottom of the email.
• If you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by emailing us at .

We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we are compelled by law to do so.

You may request details of personal information which we hold about you under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please email us as soon as possible, at the above address. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.

Automated Decision Making and Profiling

The PTC group does not employ any automated decision-making or conduct profiling of our delegates or students. However, if you have consented to be held on our database and to receive communications from us, we may periodically send you marketing information so that you are informed of upcoming courses and events. These will be automated but they do not involve automated decision-making or profiling. You can unsubscribe from these at any time.

Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

Comments are public.

All comments will be checked before they are added to the site.

Do not post any messages that are obscene, vulgar, sexually orientated, hateful, threatening or violate any laws.

Be courteous to other users of the site.

Do not post spam messages.

You can also email us at if you would like us to put a comment up for you. But please let us know if we can use it as is, and whether you want to remain anonymous.

Short/virtual courses

Once a booking is made and you have received an email from us, you have made a firm commitment to attend the course.

For short/virtual courses, the joining instructions and an invoice will be sent to you 3–4 weeks before the course due date and this is your confirmation that the course is going ahead.

You can request a payment link on receipt of the invoice.

Payment may be made by Mastercard, Visa or bank transfer and must be made before the course date.

Cancellation policy

We appreciate that you may have to cancel a booking.

Please be sure to confirm a cancellation by email to . 

Cancellation 48 hours before the course: 100% course fee payable.

The 48-hour period excludes weekends and UK Bank Holidays, when the PTC is closed.

Please note that if you are in receipt of a subsidy towards your course fee from a third party cancellation fees are still charged on the full course fee.

Distance-learning courses

On payment, you will gain access to the distance-learning course materials on the PTC's learning platform. 

Cancellation policy

If, within 30 days of buying the course (and before any assignments have been sent to your tutor for marking), you decide that the course is not for you, simply let us know and we will issue a full refund.

Note that access to the learning platform will cease once your refund is confirmed.

e-Learning modules

On payment, you will gain access to the e-Learning module on the PTC's learning platform. 

Access is restricted to a single user and should not be distributed for use by multiple users.

Cancellation policy

Fees for e-Learning modules are non-refundable. 

Webinars

Once a booking is made and you have received an email from us, you have made a firm commitment to attend the webinar. The joining instructions and Zoom link will be sent to you the day before the webinar date. 

Cancellation policy

Tickets are non-refundable. However, if you wish to transfer your ticket to a colleague or associate, you may do so. If you do transfer your ticket, you must email with the details of the replacement attendee so that they can be admitted to the event.

By registering on our site you agree to adhere to our site rules:

• You may not create multiple accounts or pass yourself off as someone else.
• While we will endeavour to keep our website up and running 24/7, we cannot guarantee this and we will not be liable if the website is down for any reason.
• We reserve the right to remove any content that we feel is not acceptable, in any part of the site, and to ban users that do not abide by the rules. This is entirely at our discretion.
• The Publishing Training Centre Group will not be liable for any losses or damage incurred due to your use of this site.

Profile information

• Please keep your password and login information safe and don't share this with anyone.
• You can request that your password or username be reset if you have forgotten it, by clicking 'Forgot Login'.
• We will not share your information with third parties and will ensure that it is kept safe. Also have a look at our Privacy Policy.
• If you register for a course online, or purchase one of our Self-Study programmes, your information will be recorded in our online database in order to administer the courses.

Freelance Finder

If you have successfully completed a Self-Study Tutor-Guided course with The Publishing Training Centre Group, you will be able to add your information to the Freelance Finder. This allows potential clients, who are searching for freelance suppliers, to contact you.

Please note:

• The information in this section is entirely in your control.
• You are responsible for all the information held in this directory and need to ensure that it is correct and up-to-date.
• Remember that the information in this area is in the public domain and will be visible to anyone visiting the site.
• You can change and update the information at any time by logging in to the site, then clicking on the Profile link at the top of the page. Click on the Freelance Finder tab and change the information, or remove any information you do not wish to display.
• You can also deactivate your entry completely by clicking on the tick-box next to 'List in Directory'. If you do this your information will no longer be searchable in the directory.

Comments:

You can leave comments about our courses or articles in various places around the site.

• Please be respectful and do not use profanity, or make any comments that can be interpreted as being racist, sexist, or in any way defamatory.

Profile Images:

• Your image will be resized if needed to a maximum dimension of 200 pixels width x 300 height automatically, but your image file should not exceed 5000 KB.
• Images should not be vulgar or sexual.
• Do not use an image that you do not have the right to use.
• Do not use an image of a person's face, except your own, unless you have their permission to do so.
• Do not use an image of a child under any circumstances.