About being a driving instructor
Being able to drive ensures your freedom and saves you hanging around at bus stops. Being able to teach people to drive earns you good money, allows you to work as many hours as you want and saves you hanging around in an office with a boss you don't get on with.
As a driving instructor you will probably have about 25-30 pupils on the go at any one time. They don't all have lessons every week because of holidays, exams, work commitments, etc but on the other hand quite a few of them will have more than an hour a week. Our average at Bradleys is 1.7 hours a week per pupil.
According to the government, on average learners in Britain take more than 50 hours of lessons and spend more than £1,500 to get their driving licence. (Source Learning to Drive Consultation Paper, Dept of Transport 2008). This is one of the reasons why there is always a great demand for good driving instructors and why you should never be short of pupils!
Great earnings
As a driving instructor you have 25-30 customers who will each spend about £1,500 with you over a period of about six months. As you will have taught them to drive safely, many of them will recommend you to their friends and family. There are many, many cases of driving instructors teaching sons and daughters of people they have taught to drive, as well as wives, husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends, etc.
Flexible hours work when you choose
Even with a full time position as a driving instructor you have the flexibility to fit your work round your other commitments such as child care, football or golf. You are in charge of your diary and you manage that with your pupils generally they are flexible in when they can have their lessons. The vast majority of driving instructors in the UK are self employed and as such decide the hours they work and the money they need. If you need more cash for a holiday or birthday, simply work a few more hours that week. In addition to full time positions, there is the opportunity to work part time and perhaps bring a second income and car into the family.
Tremendous job satisfaction
Everyone remembers their driving instructor the job satisfaction for this career is fantastic! To be with your pupils when they pass their test is an incredible experience. To know that you have been a part of helping them gain this freedom really does make you feel good.
No previous experience or qualifications required
The DSA (Driving Standards Agency) requires that people who train as a Driving Instructor have no more than 6 penalty points on their licence, have held a valid full UK licence for at least 3 years and meet the physical criteria required to safely control a vehicle. On top of that all you need is a willingness to learn and to be able to get on with people, as all the training you require is provided on the course.
A career open to everyone
As long as you meet the legal requirements outlined above, a career as a driving instructor is open to you, as our industry actively seeks a diverse selection of driving instructors to reflect the ethnic, cultural and gender mix of the UK. We also actively encourage people with a wide range of age or previous job experiences.
Future career opportunities
Most instructors, once qualified, choose to work in a driving school or set up on their own. However many other career opportunities are possible, such as an ADI trainer, fleet driver trainer, police trainer, armed services trainer, etc.