thinking about a new career, driving instructor maybe?...

factor29

Hi all,

im looking into changing my current career, as im starting to find current job a bit boring!

I have looked at possibly training to be a driving instructor, but it all seems a bit scary, paying to change career, and relying on constant business and being self employed - im used to a set income every month, never less and unfortunately never more!

I have being looking at the aa or bsm, or maybe a local school, although the local school doesnt have the advantage of supplying you a car, insurance, replacement car etc - and being under 25 i imagine paying extra in franchise fees will be cheaper than insuring the car - even if i would be a qualified instructor!

What does everyone think about becoming an instructor? Is it a steadily paid job - i want to realistically be on more than i am now, and couldnt afford for annual income to be any less than im on now.

Anyone took the plunge themselves?

Or are there any more careers anyone can think of, something similar with prospect of earning more further down line etc. Id like something thats not 100% based office work i think, where i could be close to home. Although dont want to be spending nights away from home.

Im stuck for ideas :eek:

factor29

anybody?

Gazing_On_Sunsets

What is your current job, and what made you think about being a driving instructor?

I have never been one so can't advise you. But I would imagine you need a hell of a lot of patience.

factor29

Gazing_On_Sunsets wrote: »

What is your current job, and what made you think about being a driving instructor?

I have never been one so can't advise you. But I would imagine you need a hell of a lot of patience.

Thanks for the reply.

Current job is IT support, so i have to have patience a lot of the time!:D

Not sure really, im just really fed up with current job, fed up of going to work everyday and doing the same thing, counting down the hours until 5 o clock every single day!
I do like driving, and really would like a job out and about, but not something where theres loads and loads of travel, as this usually leads to overnight stays etc which i dont want - have an 18 month child

Im just really worried about paying out all the money, then struggling once im (if) qualified. Worked out that if i only had 20 hours of students one month, id only be making ~£600 a month, which is half what i earn now!

Im just struggling to think of any other alternative.

RiverStar

Hi, your in IT just now, why not earn extra money designing web pages etc or be an IT troubleshooter... perosnally I think the driving is not a good idea at the moment anyway as I don't think you would be guaranteed your income every month. Good luck

factor29

RiverStar wrote: »

Hi, your in IT just now, why not earn extra money designing web pages etc or be an IT troubleshooter... perosnally I think the driving is not a good idea at the moment anyway as I don't think you would be guaranteed your income every month. Good luck

Im not sure IT is is what i want to do anymore...

but then again i dont know if thats just because ive got bored of where i am?


I dont even know how i would go about designing web pages or anything - id assume i would need to do a college course, but then need to fit this in around work etc, and havent seen many jobs advertised for this kind of thing.

Think im having a quarter life crisis! Im not even 25 yet :eek:

RiverStar

Hi if you think you might be interested in web designing, try your local college for Saturday classes, don't think there too expensive and maybe run for 6 weeks or so. It'd be a taster to see if you like it. Do research on internet, just google any job title and see what comes up, you just might come across something that you think oh that sounds good.I'll try that, but please don't give up current job for something on a whim. Been there done that when i was having my career/boredom crises.

gutbrod10

dont forget your running costs have to come out of that £600 , ie fuel , the driving schools cut i did look at it once but the only way to make good money is to go independantly ie not with aa etc and the issue of working unsocaible hours, ie before work late evenings and weekends as people have to fit lessons in

catgirl123

My sister in law has recently changed careers and is doing the driving instructor course. She has to attend college and sit exams, apaprently if you dont pass the final exam, you get 3 attempts, that's it, you can't re-apply for another 2 years and then you have to go through the training again, and pay again. She has gone with a franchise but is finding it hard to recruit customers at the moment. Another problem she has is that a lot of people want evening and weekend sessions and with a small child she cant offer this.

weenickieS

Hi there,
my partner is a driving instructor. He was an instructor before i met him and after a few years he gave it up as he wasnt making a lot of money. He did it part time and did lorry driving aswel through an agency.

We got together and he started doing driving lessons again, but still doing lorry driving inbetween as he is not making enough money yet to do it full time. He has been doing it for a year now. For a while it picked up, but then you get a lot of young people giving up as they dont have the money anymore, or if christmas is coming up and they need the extra money etc.

If you did do it i would advise you to do it part time to start with and have another job as a back up. If it picks up enough for you to do it full time then you could then give up the other job.

Hope whatever you do, it works out for u

paulwf

This thread seems to sum up many threads that have been posted on here and elsewhere:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=30082667&highlight=driving+instructor#post30082667

I should state I have no experience of the industry, but it does seem that thanks to all the TV adverts and people getting made redundant there are a lot of people investing their money in driving instructor courses.

Personally I would try and work out what it is specifically about your current job that bores you. Could you perhaps just work 4 days a week? Work from home part time? Ask for more challenging projects? Go part time and then get another more interesting part time job?