anyone done a driving instructors course?

chriz1

Hi all,
Ive been intreste for a while in becoming a driving instructor a quick search on the net and loads of companies come up.
Intrested in hearing from anyone who has completed a course and can tell me the costs and whats invloved.
Thanks

RedSoleShoes

In 2005, a company called Lets Drive (now owned by Red) were charging nearly £3k for full 'unlimited' training. This included one attempt at each examination. You have to pay for repeat exams if you fail the first attempt.

Part 1 = Theory exam. Home learning. Once you pass this, you have 2 years to pass the next 2 parts.
Part 2 = Advanced driving test. You have in-car lessons for this. (RED do 4 hour lessons with you and one other learner so basically 2 hours driving each)
Part 3 = Instructor test. You have to be the instuctor and have in-car lessons for this.

If, once passing part 1, you do not pass 2 & 3 within the 2-year period then you have to start with Part 1 again.

You need to be prepared to work on a self-employed basis once qualifying and build up a customer base will could take a while.

It's worth doing a search of instructors in your area to see how many there are and their prices. You will notice that many are doing special deals to get the pupils in - this confirms that getting pupils is not as easy as you might think.

You will probably see a lot of angry people on here moaning about instructor schools. You need to be prepared to put in a lot of time and REALLY want to become an instructor in order to get through training. It's certainly not a piece of cake but if you think it's really what you want to do, and you are prepared to be self-employed once qualifying then go for it and don't be put off by people who probably haven't put the time in to get passed.

One thing to remember is petrol prices. These are obviously rising a lot quicker than lesson prices and this reduces the salary you will earn.

Hammyman

I know someone who started working for RED as a franchisee. He lost his house.

jessicamb

The market is really oversaturated and a lot of instructors are struggling to make money. Its not impossible but you have to work very very hard and its not like the tv ads suggest - you are at the beck and call of pupils and quite a few will cancel or change their lessons at the last minute. There are driving instructor forums around if you have a look.

slightlyconfused1

Also beware of companies offering interest free credit on the training fees. It can be impossible to pass the course within the interest free period and so, unless you can fund it elsewhere, you have interest on top of training fees to pay.

Slinky

I have a contact who is a driving instructor who retired last year. He said it was more and more difficult to find pupils as previously many of them were college students working in part time jobs at Ikea or the supermarkets to pay for their lessons. Hours had been cut back for lots of them and they simply couldn't afford to take the lessons even though they wanted to.

I recall seeing last year in Birmingham plastered up the side of an instructor's car, first 10 lessons £99. If you can afford to take a course and run a car, insure it etc and make £9.90 an hour for your efforts, that's what could be out there for you.

SHIPSHAPE

It's one of those occupations, like a cab driver, that become saturated at times like this with a tough economy.
I had a friend who was a driving instructor but packed it in yet a chap near where I live has been doing it 20 years.

Just do some research first.

Edinburgh65

You should also bear in mind, that during prolonged periods of snow and ice, you would probably have little or no earnings. I know a couple of driving instructors who were unable to work for a few weeks during each of the last two winters. Both instructors really enjoy their jobs, but it's the sort of career best suited to someone who can be flexible with their income.

DCFC79

Whatever you decide to do i hope its what you want to do, let us know how you get on

ajb78

Hi Chriz1,

I have been in the industry for years and years and things are now turning back for the good.

According to the Government, instructor numbers are falling.

The creditcrunch means that potential trainees are no longer able to raise the money to train therefore the numbers have fallen by approx 10% each year since 2009.

Also the Government's changes to the test mean the DSA are expectin over 2 million tests this year.

I subscribe to an independent group and do work with them called Smart driving. The guy that runs it is John Farlam is seen as a bit of a "martin lewis" for driving instructors!!

His site is smartdriving.org They will give a free info pack on what to do and what to look for. Hope this helps.

A

DCFC79

Your not by any chance advertising the site are you, i think maybe the OP has possibly decided by now if its something he wants to do