Security Awareness Training vs Phishing Simulation
Try Skillermatic free Start a free trial and look at the lessons, the admin portal and phishing simulation yourself. Start a free trial → Security awareness training teaches people what to look for. Phishing simulation tests what they actually do. They do different jobs, and you get the best result when you use both.
People ask us which one to buy first. The honest answer is below.
What is the difference between security awareness training and phishing simulation?
Training is the lesson. Simulation is the practice test. Here it is side by side.
| Security awareness training | Phishing simulation | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Short lessons and quizzes | Safe fake phishing emails |
| Goal | Teach what to look for | See what people really do |
| Output | Completion, quiz scores, certificates | Open, click, submit and report rates |
| Weak spot if used alone | People can finish a lesson and still click | People get caught but are not taught |
A completion checkmark does not tell you who would fall for a real phishing email. A simulation does.
Do you need both security awareness training and phishing simulation?
Yes, if you want to change behaviour and also prove it. Each one fixes the other’s blind spot.
- Training without simulation: you know people watched the video. You do not know what they do with a real email.
- Simulation without training: you catch people, but nobody told them what the red flags are.
What is the loop that works?
It is a five-step loop. Run it again and again, with a new scenario each time.
- Teach. Everyone does a short core lesson.
- Practice. Send a realistic practice email.
- Follow up. Anyone who clicks gets a short lesson, right away.
- Measure. Look at the report rate and click rate.
- Repeat with a new scenario.
This matches what NIST says: teach employees to spot phishing and report it, and train regularly. And CISA advises evaluating training by tracking security incidents and reporting during phishing simulations.
What does each one cover on Skillermatic?
- Training: 17 tracks of 3 to 7 minute lessons, from All-Staff Core to finance, IT and remote workers.
- Simulation: open, click, submit and report tracking, automatic remediation, an executive PDF and a monthly summary email. See phishing simulation.
The two connect. Someone who clicks or submits is assigned the remediation lesson you choose for that campaign, without manual tracking.
Which should you start with?
- Brand new program: training first, simulation two weeks later.
- Already trained, no proof it works: run a simulation now to get a baseline.
- Auditor or insurer asking: both. Completion records for training, reports for simulation.
A worked example: one month with both
Week 1: all 25 staff finish the core lesson on spotting phishing. Week 3: you send one fake “delivery notice” email. Some people click and land on a safe page that explains the signs. They get a short follow-up lesson. Others report the email. You write down the click rate and report rate.
Next month you send a different scenario, such as a fake vendor bank-detail change. If the report rate goes up and the click rate goes down, the loop is working. If not, you know which lesson to tighten.
What are the common mistakes?
- Buying a tool for simulation only.
- Training once a year and never testing.
- Making tests so hard that people give up.
- Not following up with people who click.
- Naming and shaming. It stops people from reporting.
What is a simple template for a training and testing calendar?
Here is a calendar you can copy for the first quarter. It keeps the loop going without much work.
| When | What | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Core lesson on spotting phishing | Everyone |
| Week 3 | First practice phishing email | Everyone or a pilot group |
| Week 4 | Follow-up lesson for people who clicked | Those who clicked |
| Week 6 | Role lesson, such as bank-change fraud for finance | Finance |
| Week 8 | Second practice email, a different scenario | Everyone |
| Week 12 | Read the numbers and plan next quarter | Program owner |
Keep the same rhythm each quarter, and change the scenarios so the tests stay fresh.
Where to go next
Plan your first 30 days with a 30-day plan to start a security awareness program. Learn how to run the test in phishing simulation for small business, and how to read the results in phishing simulation metrics.
Start a free trial or book a demo to see both in one place.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between security awareness training and phishing simulation?
Training is the lesson. Simulation is the practice test. Training teaches the signs of phishing; simulation shows who would fall for a realistic fake.
Do small businesses need both?
Ideally yes. Start with a core lesson, then add a simple practice test so you can see real behaviour.
Can I use phishing simulation without training?
It is not a good idea. Without lessons, a test is just a trap. Pair every simulation with a teaching moment.
Which comes first, training or simulation?
Training first, so people know what to look for, then a simulation a week or two later.
Is phishing awareness training the same as security awareness training?
Phishing is one topic inside security awareness training. Security awareness also covers passwords, scams, safe file handling and how to report problems.
How do I prove both are working?
Keep completion records and certificates for training, and campaign reports for simulation. Compare report rate and click rate from one campaign to the next.