Training to become a Driving Instructor - Advice
Discussion
After 12 years wearing a suit in a profession I dislike I resigned a month or so ago and am now looking at alternative options. Money is not the main motivator for me - I am ideally seeking something that gives me flexibility in terms of time worked etc
Training to become a driving instructor is of interest. A fair few case studies show people who started off as salaried employees before branching out on their own as independents.
There would appear to a prominent business (named after a colour) that offer full training and then a franchise option. Would I be tying myself in if I went down this route?
I absolutely do not want to cut any corners, but qualifying in as little time as possible appeals.
I am assuming that there are some fellow PHer's who are employed as DI's - either as independents or who work for a bigger business. Any advice on do's and don'ts would be much appreciated.
(I did try searching for previous threads, but the PH search engine is a little wayward
Training to become a driving instructor is of interest. A fair few case studies show people who started off as salaried employees before branching out on their own as independents.
There would appear to a prominent business (named after a colour) that offer full training and then a franchise option. Would I be tying myself in if I went down this route?
I absolutely do not want to cut any corners, but qualifying in as little time as possible appeals.
I am assuming that there are some fellow PHer's who are employed as DI's - either as independents or who work for a bigger business. Any advice on do's and don'ts would be much appreciated.
(I did try searching for previous threads, but the PH search engine is a little wayward
I know a few people who've been instructors for many years and most are now looking to get out.
The problem apparently is that many people qualify as instructors then find they can't make it pay. So while they are looking for another job they give lessons for just slightly more than the petrol cost simply to pass the time and maintain a cash flow even though they are making a loss once they consider depreciation etc. Anyone trying to make a living finds themselves undercut.
The ones who do reasonably well have a particular niche, pupils who can't speak very good English for example.
The problem apparently is that many people qualify as instructors then find they can't make it pay. So while they are looking for another job they give lessons for just slightly more than the petrol cost simply to pass the time and maintain a cash flow even though they are making a loss once they consider depreciation etc. Anyone trying to make a living finds themselves undercut.
The ones who do reasonably well have a particular niche, pupils who can't speak very good English for example.
the F.I.L is a driving instructor and initially signed up with a certain colour company (being careful of naming and shaming rules here), put it this way - there is a lot on the web about them! be careful..
The idea of a flexible work pattern is great - but realistically you are only as flexible as your students. If they can only do weekends, then you are going to work weekends... if you are not flexible enough for the student then there are plenty more instructors out there unfortunatly...
The idea of a flexible work pattern is great - but realistically you are only as flexible as your students. If they can only do weekends, then you are going to work weekends... if you are not flexible enough for the student then there are plenty more instructors out there unfortunatly...
I have two friends who both trained within 6 months of each other, one was fed up of his 9-5 wanted more flexibility as his kids were growing up and had within his CV 12 years of professional driving and is a very good communicator, the other has always liked cars but isn't an especially confident driver, is terrible and engaging strangers in conversation and wouldn't take any help or advice offered to him.
4 years later bloke A has a tidy income, the lifestyle he wants and 3 other people paying him to use the name of his driving school. But at the start he worked 60+ hours a week and gave up nearly a years worth of weekends.
Bloke B hasn't taught anyone for over two years and now works shifts in a chemical plant. When he started he was inflexible regarding times, gave up on pupils very quickly, and would only commit himself to 25 hours a week.
Based on that making it work is down to the quality of your research, the quality of your teaching and the amount of effort you put in to becoming established. Once you've got a good base of pupils saying good things word of mouth becomes your friend and unless you're in somewhere with masses of competitors from the big chains competing on price doesn't need to be your sole aim.
4 years later bloke A has a tidy income, the lifestyle he wants and 3 other people paying him to use the name of his driving school. But at the start he worked 60+ hours a week and gave up nearly a years worth of weekends.
Bloke B hasn't taught anyone for over two years and now works shifts in a chemical plant. When he started he was inflexible regarding times, gave up on pupils very quickly, and would only commit himself to 25 hours a week.
Based on that making it work is down to the quality of your research, the quality of your teaching and the amount of effort you put in to becoming established. Once you've got a good base of pupils saying good things word of mouth becomes your friend and unless you're in somewhere with masses of competitors from the big chains competing on price doesn't need to be your sole aim.
I looked at Red driver training about 6 years ago now and was disgusted by what they said.
This is taken from memory but their numbers didn't add up unless you dropped every student off where you collected the next one.
Their attitude was that they needed X amount of lessons no matter how good they were, which was just a good way of crapping on people just trying to get by.
The flexibility aspect that they said gave you a great work/life balance only worked if you didn't want to earn any money.
They seemed to have little interest in actually selling the idea of a good standard of driving.
I didn't look into it again.
A good friend of mine was a driving instructor for a year or so and basically said you can't earn a decent living and keep the flexibility unless your targets are pretty low. He gave up after becoming frustrated with the whole way it worked.
He is now a window cleaner doing far better than he was before and with the flexibility.
Dave!
This is taken from memory but their numbers didn't add up unless you dropped every student off where you collected the next one.
Their attitude was that they needed X amount of lessons no matter how good they were, which was just a good way of crapping on people just trying to get by.
The flexibility aspect that they said gave you a great work/life balance only worked if you didn't want to earn any money.
They seemed to have little interest in actually selling the idea of a good standard of driving.
I didn't look into it again.
A good friend of mine was a driving instructor for a year or so and basically said you can't earn a decent living and keep the flexibility unless your targets are pretty low. He gave up after becoming frustrated with the whole way it worked.
He is now a window cleaner doing far better than he was before and with the flexibility.
Dave!
Have you considered getting your hgv license? Obviously as a newly qualified hgv driver you might not leap into employment but there are always agencies who will take you on and it's very flexible. I know plenty of guys who have came from various walks of life and enjoy the freedom from being stuck in an office.
It's something I considered some years ago and after a bit of research decided against it, in most cases you'd be better off filling shelves in a supermarket by the time you take into account all your overheads, no holiday/sick pay.
I know you've said money isn't the main factor but it's a lot of work, hassle and stress for very little gain.
I know you've said money isn't the main factor but it's a lot of work, hassle and stress for very little gain.
Si.P said:
My uncle was a driving instructor for 15 years and gave it up because the only way you can make any money is to work 12 hours a day 7 days a week and even then there is so much competition that work is very thin
There's chap on another forum I frequent who gave it a go for a number of years and that was essentially what he said. You really have to work around the clock to make it pay. He gave it up after a while.I imagine it's quite stressful too, especially with anxious learners.
I got as far as stage 2 training (initial paper test passed) and then just bailed out when it became very apparent that the only way to make decent money would be to work 60 plus hours per week.
Too much competition, could not see how to make it pay without giving up everything else in life.
This was not with Red.
Too much competition, could not see how to make it pay without giving up everything else in life.
This was not with Red.
My wife has been an ADI for the last 5 years.
Cost about £4.5 k in all before she fully qualified.
She has worked 2 years with a franchise and the last 3 years as an independent.
Luckily we do not depend upon her salary as main income.
As others have said to make any sort of a wage you need to work 12 hour days 7 days a week.
The rates pupils pay for lessons has not gone up in the last 5 years but the cost of fuel, insurance etc has.
As a hobby or for part time income yes, but very hard to make a good living at it.
Cost about £4.5 k in all before she fully qualified.
She has worked 2 years with a franchise and the last 3 years as an independent.
Luckily we do not depend upon her salary as main income.
As others have said to make any sort of a wage you need to work 12 hour days 7 days a week.
The rates pupils pay for lessons has not gone up in the last 5 years but the cost of fuel, insurance etc has.
As a hobby or for part time income yes, but very hard to make a good living at it.
to resurrect this thread, I was wondering if anyone else had any comments on becoming a driving instructor, or if anyone is an instructor.
I have been looking at training with AA
My concern is that there is too much competition and not enough work- when I was younger everyone wanted to drive as soon as they were 17, nowadays it seems it is less common as the costs are too high.
However, I am not considering it to become a millionaire, am happy to put the hours in and would even consider moving to a location (if such a thing exists) where driving instructors are in short supply
I have been looking at training with AA
My concern is that there is too much competition and not enough work- when I was younger everyone wanted to drive as soon as they were 17, nowadays it seems it is less common as the costs are too high.
However, I am not considering it to become a millionaire, am happy to put the hours in and would even consider moving to a location (if such a thing exists) where driving instructors are in short supply
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