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How to Become a Driving InstructorThe work Driving instructors teach people the skills needed to drive safely, understand road procedures and pass their driving test. An instructor will first assesses the learner's driving knowledge and skills, and then plans a series of lessons with the aim of helping them to get their driving licence. Most driving lessons follow a similar pattern and involve:
Driving instructors also teach road safety, the Highway Code and basic vehicle checks. When the instructor thinks the learner is ready, they will apply for a driving test date. As well as preparing learners for the practical test, the instructor may also cover the theory side in depth, although most learners do this in their own time. Experienced instructors can specialise in particular areas of driving instruction, such as advanced or high-performance driving, disabled drivers' instruction, passenger carrying vehicle (PCV) tuition and large goods vehicle (LGV) driver training. Annual Income Figures are intended as a guideline only. Full-time driving instructors can make around £15,000 in the first year. Average earnings for established instructors are around £23,000 a year. Experienced instructors can earn over £30,000 a year. Income is based on the cost of the driving lesson and the amount of hours worked. Lessons can be charged from £12 to £27 an hour; and instructors can work up to 48 hours a week. Car maintenance, running costs and other expenses have to be paid out of that amount. Instructors working through a franchise usually pay a weekly fee of up to £300, but will have a car provided. They still have to buy fuel. Skills and Interests To be a driving instructor you should:
Opportunities Most driving instructors are self-employed, but you may start by working within a franchised driving school. The main career progression route is into self-employment but competition can be intense, as there are no restrictions on how many instructors can operate within an area. With experience, you can work as a specialist instructor for a large commercial transport company or a bus and coach operator. You could also consider learning to train people in defensive driving or to retrain traffic offenders. The police, fire service, ambulance service and the armed forces employ their own driving instructors. There may be opportunities to become a senior instructor or a driving school manager. The DSA occasionally recruits experienced driving instructors as driving examiners. Hours and Environment As a driving instructor your working hours will vary and often include evenings and weekends. There may be seasonal variations in bookings, particularly around Christmas or during the summer to fit with school holidays. Most of your time is spent in the car, driving to collect clients, then sitting in the passenger seat during lessons. Each lesson normally lasts between one and two hours. Entry Your first step to becoming a driving instructor is to register with the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) to train as an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI). To apply for registration, you must meet the following criteria:
The DSA sends out a starter pack, which includes information about the career and an ADI application form. You can also get a list of approved training providers – the Official Register of Driving Instructor Training (ORDIT) – from the DSA. See the Further Information section below for contact detail. Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) exams ADI exams are in three parts:
You must pass each part before taking the next and you must qualify within two years of completing the theory test. You can take the theory test as many times as you like but you only have three attempts at each of the practical tests in any two-year period. Trainee LicenceCourses are run by specialist training schools and by driving schools. Course length, content and teaching methods all vary, as do training costs, so check with individual training providers. If you pass the first two parts of the ADI exams, you can join the trainee licensing scheme (although this is not compulsory) to help gain experience of driving instruction. The trainee licence is valid for six months and gives you the right to receive payment for driving instruction with a driving school. There are various conditions attached to the use of the licence and the DSA website in Further Information below has full details of these. Joining the ADI register Once you have successfully passed all three parts of the qualifying exams, you join the ADI register and are given a registration certificate to display in your car. You have to renew your registration every four years and ADI Registrars require you to take a test of continued ability and fitness to give instruction. Your name can be removed from the register if you fail to meet the required standards. Specialist driving instructors Specialist instructors usually have further professional qualifications. Some employers in road haulage and bus and coach services train their experienced drivers to become instructors within the company or at a specialist training school. A voluntary register of LGV instructors has been introduced by the DSA; a similar register for the Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) industry is run by GoSkills, the Sector Skills Council for passenger transport. See the DSA and GoSkills websites in Further Information for details. The Driving Instructors' Association (DIA) offers continuing professional development (CPD) schemes and qualifications, such as the Diploma in Driving Instruction, in conjunction with Middlesex University, and the Advanced Instructor and Examiner qualifications (DIAmond). The DSA is also developing a CPD scheme. See the DIA and DSA websites below for more details. The NVQ in Driving Instruction is also available at Level 3, covering areas such as safe driving, facilitating learning, monitoring driver progress and driving regulations. Further information Driving Instructors' Association (DIA)Safety House Beddington Farm Road Croydon CR0 4XZ Tel: 020 8665 5151 http://www.driving.org Driving Standards Agency (DSA) - ADI Branch Stanley House 56 Talbot Street Nottingham NG1 5GU Tel: 0115 901 2618 Starter Pack Orders: 0870 121 4202 http://www.dsa.gov.uk |
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