Red Driving school and the like...

[Deluded]

Always see the adverts and stuff for these places but how much do they acutally charge you for the training? Anyone any experience with them and how long does the training usualy take?

[CHIEF]

Its a feckkin' scam mate stay well away.

promises of 30k are few and far between. If it sounds to good to be true it usually is.

[trumpet1608]

Do a Google search and you will be amazed at how many dissatisfied trainees they have.

I wouldn't touch them with yours.

Dick

[HereBeMonsters]

If you want to earn £30k and are reasonably intelligent, IT has to be the way forward. I went in two years ago with no qualifications and a few months experience, now on a lot over £30k.

[ymwoods]

There was a scam watch style program done about them and other driving schools a while ago. Bassicly they promise you that you WILL pass, WILL get a job and that its recession proof etc. bassicly this program blew all that apart, Many of the trainees failed, many passed but then could not get jobs and others did get jobs but were not getting enough new pupils to earn anything near enough to live on never mind 30k

[N10k]

missus "was" a driving instructor, its not what its cracked up to be. Honest!

[E36]

HereBeMonsters said:

If you want to earn £30k and are reasonably intelligent, IT has to be the way forward. I went in two years ago with no qualifications and a few months experience, now on a lot over £30k.

I'm intelligent, with no qualifications and some IT experience...

How do I do this?

[killinginblack]

Are they all as bad? Or are companies such as BSM and The AA better?
Quite interested in training to be an instructor.

[timbob]

killinginblack said:

Are they all as bad? Or are companies such as BSM and The AA better?
Quite interested in training to be an instructor.

From friends who've been there and done that, they all say the only way to go into driving instruction is Private.

[Eggman]

killinginblack said:

Are they all as bad? Or are companies such as BSM and The AA better?
Quite interested in training to be an instructor.

Don't bother. My brother has been an instructor for years and has held franchises with both of them which earned him very little indeed. He is now trying out a third company which appears no better. It is a total waste of time - there simply aren't enough pupils for the number of instructors.

[Merry]

E36 said:

HereBeMonsters said:

If you want to earn £30k and are reasonably intelligent, IT has to be the way forward. I went in two years ago with no qualifications and a few months experience, now on a lot over £30k.

I'm intelligent, with no qualifications and some IT experience...

How do I do this?

Yes, do expand on that, as i'm trying to get into IT at the moment and am in a similar postion.

[Tykey]

Dead easy, havent you seen the ads on telly LOL!

I've had IT jobs from IT support to developer and i'm interested in how you can earn "well over 30k" in 2 years in IT for a newbie.

[Puggit]

Tykey said:

Dead easy, havent you seen the ads on telly LOL!

I've had IT jobs from IT support to developer and i'm interested in how you can earn "well over 30k" in 2 years in IT for a newbie.

Get in to the right bit, you could easily break that barrier. Not sure where the right bit is, mind you...

[Chris_w666]

The pass rate for the Part 3 test (the bit that makes you an ADI) is mega low, IIRC something like 12% of all that attempt it fail and you can only have (again IIRC) 3 attempts at it.

So unless you want to do driving instruction and nothing else will do don't bother. Also talk to local indi instructors in your area to find out a better indicator of earnings. I have 2 mates that earn no where near 30k as driving instructors, they both are happy with their lot but its mainly the flexibilty they love. To get close to 30k a year you need to be working 60-70 hours per week at least.

[Tykey]

Puggit said:

Tykey said:

Dead easy, havent you seen the ads on telly LOL!

I've had IT jobs from IT support to developer and i'm interested in how you can earn "well over 30k" in 2 years in IT for a newbie.

Get in to the right bit, you could easily break that barrier. Not sure where the right bit is, mind you...

im sure there are exceptions but i very much doubt that on the whole you can earn 30k inside 2 years in IT.

yes "get in to the right bit", become specialised. but that in itself is a long hard slog even if you're bright i.e. 3 year software engineering degree to become a proper developer, 2 year cisco course to get into networking.... and even then a newcomer would start on newcomer wages because they have no commercial experience.

of course quals arent always a necessity; you could progress through the relative ranks doing lowly helpdesk support, then 2nd line, then 3rd line and then whatever. ive never known anyone to do that in IT inside 2 years. like i said im sure there are exceptions but ive worked with some very bright people and its taken them many years to get into well paid advanced positions. note not everyone, no matter how much they want it or how many years they plug away in low paid stressful IT jobs, will have the technical ability to do it.

of course you always ring computeach.

[HereBeMonsters]

Merry said:

E36 said:

HereBeMonsters said:

If you want to earn £30k and are reasonably intelligent, IT has to be the way forward. I went in two years ago with no qualifications and a few months experience, now on a lot over £30k.

I'm intelligent, with no qualifications and some IT experience...

How do I do this?

Yes, do expand on that, as i'm trying to get into IT at the moment and am in a similar postion.

Start at the bottom, work your way up. I did a few contract positions on helpdesks, getting a wider knowledge, then went for a permanent job with a medium-sized company. If you're any good they'll recognise this, and promote you up to where you belong.
Recruitment is as much of a headache for a company as finding a decent job is for you. I've lost count of the number of people who have looked great on paper, even had a great interview, then as soon as they start you know they're not right.

Basically, work your arse off, volunteer for awkward shifts, cover on weekends, that sort of thing, always take the "difficult" calls - and this is the crucial bit - point this out on a regular basis. Not in a "look how great I am" sort of thing, but in a 1 to 1 situation with your boss, let him know exactly what you're doing and what your plans are in the future.

Read up on things like ITIL, being knowledgable about that in an interview will certainly score brownie points.

I really thought my situation was quite unique, but speaking to colleagues at my level now, they all went through the same thing. Seems like quite a common way to get into the higher brackets, just put the work in and you'll be rewarded.

[Clivey]

timbob said:

killinginblack said:

Are they all as bad? Or are companies such as BSM and The AA better?
Quite interested in training to be an instructor.

From friends who've been there and done that, they all say the only way to go into driving instruction is Private.

Indeed...although from experience there are now far too many driving instructors about and there's nowhere near enough business to go around in the winter months. Even if you manage to fill your working days (often 12 hours) with driving lessons, you won't be making anywhere near £30k - This figure is only the potential for gross earnings (before all business costs and tax).