1. Data Controller Information
The entity responsible for the processing of your personal data is Forge Education Group LLC, a registered educational institution in the State of Texas, USA. Our registered business address is 823 Congress Ave, Suite 300, Austin, TX 78701, United States. For all matters relating to data protection and the exercise of your privacy rights, you may contact our Data Protection Officer at [email protected] or via telephone at +1 512 555 0198.
2. Scope of Data Collection
As a technical education provider, we collect and process several categories of information to facilitate your learning journey and manage our institutional operations. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Identification Data: Full name, date of birth, and government-issued identification for enrollment verification.
- Contact Information: Professional email address, physical mailing address, and telephone number.
- Academic History: Previous educational background, technical experience, and assessment scores from our admissions process.
- Financial Information: Payment details, income data for ISA applications, and billing history.
- Technical Metadata: IP addresses, browser configurations, and interaction logs from our virtual lab environments.
3. Legal Basis for Processing
We process your personal data based on several legal foundations. Primarily, processing is necessary for the performance of our educational contract with you (the Enrollment Agreement). We also process data based on our legitimate interest in maintaining a secure learning environment and improving our curriculum. In cases where you have provided explicit consent—such as for marketing communications or the use of cookies—that consent forms our legal basis. Furthermore, we may process data to comply with legal obligations, particularly those set forth by the Texas Workforce Commission and federal educational reporting requirements.
4. Data Retention & Storage
We apply a strict retention schedule to all personal data. Academic records, including transcripts and certification history, are maintained for a period of 50 years to support graduate verification requests. Marketing and lead generation data is retained for 2 years following the last active engagement, after which it is securely purged or anonymized. Financial records are kept for 7 years to comply with tax and audit regulations in the United States. Data processed within our virtual labs is typically deleted 6 months after the conclusion of the student's cohort, unless retained for specific security research purposes in an anonymized state.
5. Third-Party Data Processors
Tech Skills Forge does not sell your personal data to third parties. We do, however, utilize a limited number of technical processors to facilitate our operations. These include cloud infrastructure providers (AWS, Microsoft Azure), financial service processors (Stripe), and educational management platforms. All third-party processors are subject to rigorous security assessments and are contractually bound to process data only in accordance with our instructions and in compliance with modern data protection standards such as GDPR and CCPA.
6. Cookie Infrastructure
Our website utilizes cookies to enhance performance and analyze user interactions. We categorize our cookies into three functional groups:
- Essential Cookies: Necessary for the technical operation of the site, including session management and security.
- Analytical Cookies: Used to aggregate anonymous traffic data, helping us understand how our content is consumed.
- Functional Cookies: Store your preferences, such as language settings or progress in pre-work modules.
You may manage your cookie preferences at any time via the banner on our homepage or through your browser settings.
7. User Rights & Data Portability
Under contemporary data protection frameworks, you are entitled to several rights regarding your personal information. These include the right to access the data we hold about you, the right to rectify inaccurate information, the right to erasure ('right to be forgotten'), and the right to restrict or object to certain processing activities. Furthermore, you have the right to data portability, allowing you to receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format. To exercise any of these rights, please submit a formal request to our legal department via [email protected].
8. International Data Transfers
As we operate primarily within the United States, your data will be stored and processed on servers located in the USA. For international students or those accessing our labs from outside the United States, be aware that the data protection laws in the USA may differ from those in your jurisdiction. We implement Standard Contractual Clauses and other recognized safeguards to ensure that your data remains protected during any cross-border transmission.
9. Security Measures
We implement a multi-layered security architecture to protect your personal data from unauthorized access, disclosure, or alteration. This includes end-to-end encryption for data in transit and at rest, zero-trust network access for our administrative staff, and regular penetration testing of our infrastructure. In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in a high risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify you and the relevant supervisory authorities within 72 hours of becoming aware of the incident.
10. Policy Updates & Compliance
This Privacy Policy was last updated on March 05, 2026. We reserve the right to modify this document at any time to reflect changes in our technical practices or legal obligations. Significant changes will be communicated via email to all active students and through a prominent notice on our website. If you believe that our processing of your personal data infringes upon your rights, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority in your jurisdiction.