What do you do as a driver instructor?

Posted on August 18th, 2011 by admin, under Driving Instructor.

Have you ever wondered about becoming a driver instructor? Not only is the pay wonderful, but the hours are extremely flexible. This type of job is becoming more popular as many people are looking to become a driver instructor because of its stability. The good thing is that there’s also no previous experience required so everyone now wants to become a driver instructor.

What do you do as a driver instructor? Your job includes teaching new drivers the rules of driving, having them understand the Highway Code and also help them develop the skills they need to pass their driving test. You will need to provide every student with training depending on their skill level. What about the pay? It all depends on you since as a driver instructor you get to decide your hours and when you want to work. However, if you are willing to work full time you can easily receive over £600 per week.

How do you become a driver instructor? The very first thing you need is to have held a UK driving licence for more than 3 years and have less than 6 penalty points. Believe it or not, that is the only requirement other than being willing to work. You do need to undergo training, this can be quite hard as you will need to learn and become an expert in order to teach others about driving. It is a perfect job for those who enjoy working with individuals, is very patient, and has the discipline to work and study hard. It’s a great feeling to teach someone such a life changing skill as learning to drive, and then seeing them pass the driving test. If you are looking for a job that is rewarding, fun and flexible then this job is right for you! Start Instructor training now and become a driving instructor!

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Career Tips: Self-Employed vs Franchised – Part 1

Posted on January 11th, 2011 by admin, under Driving Instructor.

When your driving instructor examinations are drawing to an end, you start really thinking of how you are going to benefit from your new career. Indeed, every ADI trainee must decide between two options – taking out a franchise from a reputable driving school or going independent. This decision is crucial so you don’t have to be hasty. Driving Instructor Training Blog launches a series of posts dedicated to providing ADI trainees with some insights into ways they can build their career on.

So you want to go independent…

Self-employment is more of a vocation than a way of making a living. Getting an independent operation up and running isn’t easy. So we tried to make a summary of what it would take to start up a driving instructor business on your own.

Think Backward

90% of start-ups in driving instructor business fail within their debut year of operation. The same is true with start-ups in any industry. If you still reading this post you may wish to know why.

Major reason behind failing is not knowing what you want out of your business or how you are going to get what you want. Wait a minute! You know exactly what you want, isn’t it? You want to teach people how to drive and get paid right? So you find a car, place an ad or put up a website and wait for learners blowing up your phone. But nobody calls. Or people call but never call back. Or you car’s broke down. Or you have a pupil to teach but haven’t worked out a proper lesson plan yet. Problems keep piling up until you are left confused and frustrated. Finally, you fail.

Before you even start doing anything towards building your own business you have to learn to think backward. It means you should start with your desired goal. It’s not teaching how to drive. It’s what you want to get out of it. How much can you earn in the current climate? How much can you earn in your area? How many pupils you need to achieve you financial goal? These are questions you need to answer, to name a few.

Research

One of the key things about setting yourself a desired goal is aligning it with reality. Start with a simple market analysis to find opportunities you could seize. First of all, you need to look at driving instructor industry as a whole. You may wish to read some dedicated posts featured in our blog (http://driving-instructor-trainings.co.uk/category/driving-instructor/page/2; http://driving-instructor-trainings.co.uk/driving-instructor-earnings.html).

It is very important to do a special research for your business area. You need to analyze your competitors. How many are they? What are they charging? How are they offering their services? Who are their clients? Digital Data Direct launched a valuable solution for driving instructors called Local Instructor Insights. The solution can provide you with detailed information about driving instructor business in your area.

Estimates

Based on what you’ve gleaned from your research you can reasonably set your fees and strike your selling points. You can first take an average area fee and deduct all your business expenses from it to know what your profit would be. Your expenses as a driving instructor include fuel, monthly car maintenance and repair, insurance, taxes and marketing. Final pricing will depend on how you much you can reasonable charge in your situation.

Marketing

After estimating your costs and fees you know exactly what value you are offering and at what charge. Marketing is how you telling people about it. Most common ways are placing an ad in local newspapers, business directories and launching a website. Most of your audience will be young people. So it would be smart to serve up something entertaining.

Managing day-to-day operations

Even before you start working with your first customers you need to have clear work schemes in place. How are you going to handle business phone calls? How are going to manage your schedule? What are your lesson plans? How is your accounting and financial reporting arranged? These are questions you need to answer in advance.

We hope our post will help you build a successful business. Stay with us for more posts and tips.

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Tips for Trainee ADI: Part Three of the Approved Driving Instructor Examination

Posted on January 8th, 2011 by admin, under Driving Instructor, Driving Test, Driving Tips.

The third part of the Approved Driving Instructor test is the final and most feared step in your entire examination process. It assesses how well a trainee ADI is in teaching pupils. This post will look at what to expect at the test and brief you on some helpful tips to pass it.

Core Competencies

Core competencies are the most important areas in your Part 3 test. During the test, the Supervising Examiner (SE) will take on a role of a learner driver. As a candidate, you will be examined on your skills of identifying, analysing and rectifying the pupil’s faults.

Identifying

One of the most helpful things about identifying faults is to prioritise them. You should be able to distinguish between minor and major faults. Another good thing is to observe your pupil more than the road. You can practice in identifying faults with your instructor or, as a passenger, in other cars.

Analysing

Well, you’ve identified the fault! Your learner driver has just cut the corner. So you would naturally say – “You cut the corner”. Unfortunately, this would demonstrate you as a poor teacher. Instead, you need to analyse WHY your pupil did something wrong. The best way to detect the reason behind the fault is to use question and answer (Q&A) technique.

Correcting

Once you’ve established the fault with your pupil and he/she understood the reason, you should move to correcting the fault. There are three basic methods of doing this – Q&A, explanation and demonstration. A method you choose largely depends on a situation and the character that SE is assuming. For example, SE can play the role of nonresponding learner. In this case, Q&A would probably be a bad idea. On the other hand, if SE seems outgoing, Q&A will be the best solution.

Instructional techniques

Supervising Examiner will also assess you on how you plan and give instruction. Instructional techniques include an ability to grade the level of instruction, planning the lesson, communicating with the pupil, giving feedback and encouragement.

Finally, let’s look at some of the most common failures of trainee ADIs when passing Part 3 test.

• Tiresome briefing. Keep your pre-lesson briefing as short and concise as possible.
• Unrealistic expectations. Your instruction must fit the level of a pupil. Expecting more than your pupil can actually do would demonstrate your inability to teach.
• Weak performance in core competencies. Any weakness in identifying, analysing or correcting driving faults.
• Over-instruction. Try to answer your pupil’s questions as short as possible. Stick to concise and logical pattern during entire training session. Giving over-detailed explanations will surely confuse your pupil.
• Discouragement. Discouraging your pupil is like a cardinal sin. As an ADI, you are expected to radiate positive approach and drive you pupil to improve his or her performance.

Good luck at your Part Three Test!

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What is fleet training

Posted on October 1st, 2010 by admin, under Driving Instructor.

Introduction Into Fleet Training

No need to say many approved driving instructors are struggling financially in this bad economy. Some quit, some are cutting down prices, some are trying to diversify. One way is to branch into fleet training business. We’ve recently seen a massive increase in the number of fleet training providers and AIDs getting fleet training qualification. Read on for introduction on this opportunity.

Why’s the buzz?

Until recently, merely holding a driving licence was enough for fleet drivers to get the job. Employers simply looked at licence and insurance. This means that fleet drivers didn’t received any occupational training or assessment. With the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act that came into effect on April 6, 2008, the things changed a great deal. The Act holds a company responsible for the actions of its employees, including fleet drivers who potentially expose the public to the risk of unsafe driving. Companies that do not have risk assessment or driver training in place may well be prosecuted. So more and more businesses are approaching fleet training providers to complete such assessment. This means more job opportunities for driving instructors who are qualified as fleet trainers.

Fleet Training: Highlights

So what is actually fleet training business is about? There are now a few dozens of fleet training suppliers who hire approved driving instructors to provide assessment and training to fleet drivers. Typically, it is part-time employment paying around £100-150 a day. It doesn’t mean nine to five thing, five days a week. You get paid for a session which could last one or more days depending on the scope and objectives.

Some approved driving instructors try and go independent. If you have nice qualifications and business skills you can get from £250 to £500 for a session.

Whichever is your choice, in order to be competitive, you will need to go through DSA qualification process to become DSA approved fleet driver trainer. It’s voluntary but any company or fleet training provider would rate this one as priority requirement.

This post is merely aimed at getting you introduced to fleet training. If you wish to consider this opportunity further we strongly recommend you to visit one of the largest driver instructor forums here www.drivertrainingtoday.co.uk.

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Why Join DSA’s Voluntary Register of Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) Driving Instructors?

Posted on September 24th, 2010 by admin, under Driving Instructor.

Holding a category C driving licence may be a good asset as it opens up plenty of job opportunities. If you feel for some reason that trucking is not good for you, or you lost your job due to the recession, or you retired, this post should be of interest to you. Why not look at the idea of starting a career of LGV driving instructor?

Why bother?

Driving training is a tricky business indeed. While driving instructors for category B licence face lengthy and costly qualification process, the category C (or C+E) licence is all LGV driving instructors need to teach others to drive. Rather odd, isn’t? LGV driver operates vehicles that weight up to 44,000 kgs. Talk about safety with anyone who simply holds a truck driving licence being able to teach others to drive these monster vehicles. Nevertheless the Department of Transport is quiet about making LGV driving instructor qualification compulsory. So why bother?

However, if you are set to start up a sustainable and rewarding business, you’ll be better off being on the DSA’s Voluntary Register of Large Goods Vehicle Driving Instructors. Firstly, many driving schools providing LGV driving courses have it as a requirement for their driving instructors. Secondly, your prospect learners can get suspicious over the lack of qualifications. And, thirdly, the Register gets you noticed among unqualified competitors. It is an investment that would pay back fortunes.

How to join the Register?

In order to apply for DSA qualification, you should hold the following category licences:

• C1 – medium-sized goods vehicles
• C1+E – medium-sized goods vehicle with trailer
• C – rigid large goods vehicles
• C+E – articulated LGVs or LGV/trailer combination

A candidate should not have been disqualified from driving within four years prior to application.

To initiate application process candidates should obtain a starter pack from DSA for £6.99. Starter pack includes application form, notes for guidance and theory test questions.

Large goods vehicle instructor qualifying process consists of a three-part examination: theory test, practical driving test and test of instructional ability. Candidates are expected to pass all three tests within one year with a maximum of three attempts at each qualifying test.

Theory test is made up of multiple choice questions and hazard perception element. The hazard perception test is carried out on computer and assesses candidates’ ability to react to developing road hazards. Part two of the examination will assess your driving ability. DSA examiner will ask you to perform several exercises at a test centre site. Your practical driving test will also include independent driving following directions from DSA examiner. The most important part of the entire examination process is part three, the test of instructional ability. Your examiner will assess how good you are at teaching pupils. During the test, the examiner will take on a role of a pupil and will evaluate how skilled you are at giving instructions, correcting driving errors and dealing with a learner’s nervousness.

Once you have passed your examinations and paid registration fee, your name will appear on the LGV Instructor Register. You will also receive a certificate of registration as a proof that you have qualified as LGV driving instructor.

Below are test fees charged by DSA:

Theory test – £64.63

Practical driving test – £139.83

Test of instructional ability – £139.83

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Driving Instructor Training

Posted on September 2nd, 2010 by admin, under Driving Instructor, Driving Research and Statistics.

Driving Instructor Training: What To Look Out For

One of biggest nation-wide instructor training provider, Red Driving School, went into administration. The number of complaints from disillusioned driving instructorsunder training is soaring. Driving instructor test failure rate is jaw-dropping. – It sounds like a daunting undertaking to get a decent driving instructor training these days. Here in this post we are going to talk about getting driving instructor training in the UK and…. getting it right.

Before you shell out your hard-earned money to any driving instructor training school, it’s important that you know the reality of the industry and are able to distinguish between providers. So have some patience and do lots of research before making your choice. Read on to know what to look out for.

Don’t Watch TV

We won’t go about the realities of driving instructor industry or dispelling all of those TV advert myths from instructor training companies here. Simply check our dedicated post before you proceed.

Read Between the Lines

Get it? When a driving instructor school promises a guaranteed placement, it doesn’t mean anything near job security, salaried employment or steady supply of work. What they really offer is to take out a franchise with them. Taking out the franchise means you will pay a fee on a monthly basis to a driving school in exchange for the right to use their name, company logo and often a vehicle. Franchise typically involves the responsibility of a franchisor to supply a franchisee with pupils, handle advertising and provide business-related services. The problem with franchise thing though is that you have to pay your franchise fee whether you earn it off your pupils under franchise deal or not. And fees can be high enough to leave you working just to cover the amount. So make sure you fully understand your franchise offer and it is economically viable.

ORDIT or Not?

Once you start looking for a driving instructor provider, you will surely come across the acronym ORDIT. It stands for The Official Register of Driving Instructor Training. The Register was set up by DSA to ensure standards of driving instructor training are met and maintained. It’s voluntary. However, one of the good things about DSA approved providers is that you can complain to DSA if there is a problem with your training. Typically DSA requires ORDIT registered driving schools to establish clear refund and complaint procedures.

Word of Mouth

There are a great many of organisations out there, small and giant, offering a driving instructor training. And it’s a minefield to walk on. The best way to get informed is to ask other approved driving instructors for advice or visit professional internet forums where people speak from their experiences. Below is a link to driving schools reviews:
http://www.drivertrainingtoday.co.uk/forum/index.php/board,296.0.html
You may also wish to consider what Surepass Driving School has to offer. If so, please, go to our previous post here.

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Surepass Driving Instructor Training

Posted on August 31st, 2010 by admin, under Driving Instructor, Driving Tips.

Surepass Driving Instructor Training Courses

For over 14 years now, Surepass driving school has been providing driving instructor training courses across the country. The company is on the Official Register of Driving Instructor Trainers, which ensures DSA learning standards are maintained. That’s one of the reasons the driving school enjoys one of the best pass rates in the UK – 90%, a whopping 67% better performance than the national average.

What can be more reliable than other people’s experiences? So as you search for driving instructor courses, check for internet forum discussions about Surepass.

Surepass adopted a variety of driving instructor training courses to better suit instructors’ needs and means. Below are short descriptions of choices available.

Group Instructor Training Course

If you are the kind of person who likes to study in a group then this course is ideal. The pack includes a 14 day trial offer (which means you can cancel your course for any reason), Part 1 home study pack, 2 days Part 2 training, Part 3 study material and 6 days Part 3 training.

2 days Part 2 training involves 2 x 7 hours in car training over one month period. 6 days Part 3 training includes 4 x 7 hours in car training and 2 x 6 hours classroom training sessions. You can use all your hours the week before your Part 3 test or distribute it over a month.

Group Instructor Training Course costs £800.

One To One Instructor Training Courses

Basically, one to one instructor training courses are geared towards people who prefer tailored tuition and look for extra benefits. Surepass provides three types of individual training courses – silver, gold and platinum. You will receive a standard training course plus benefits such as cash back and a guaranteed pass.

Cash back is an option available to fully qualified driving instructors who take out a franchise with Surepass. The cash back is returned in the form of a credit to the driving instructors franchise account. Cash back starts from £100, £500 and £1000 options available under Silver, Gold and Platinum choices respectively.

One of the extra benefits of the Platinum course is the guaranteed pass. It allows you to receive the Silver course as many times as you need, if you have failed to qualify as a driving instructor within 2 years of passing the first exam.

What will your costs be?

Silver – £1490
Gold – £1990
Platinum – £2490

Consider these fees as you go shopping for your driving instructor training courses.

For more information visit the Surepass website
Learn about what instructors who actually trained with Surepass have to say. http://www.drivertrainingtoday.co.uk/

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Making Sure Your Test Vehicle Is Suitable

Posted on August 24th, 2010 by admin, under Driving Instructor, Driving Test.

Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has issued a notice on using space saver tyres on the learner driver cars during the practical driving test. The notice was prompted by increasing number of complaints from candidates whose test didn’t go ahead because their cars were fitted with space saver tyres. That also means they lost their driving test fee.

While it’s become a common feature for modern car manufacturers to use space saver tyres, Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) guideline clearly states that the tyre cannot be fitted to a leaner driver car. Following DSA notice we feel it necessary to remind all driving instructors and their pupils of essential vehicle safety requirements at the driving test.

1. Vehicle recall 
   DSA may prevent a candidate from taking practical driving test when the car is subject to a manufacturer recall or safety notice. If the recall occurs, the car automatically becomes unsuitable for the test unless a candidate provides evidence showing the test car has been checked and rectification is not necessary. If you car does need remedial work, you should rebook your driving test.
2. Electronically operated parking brakes 
   It is one of the key driving skills to be able to coordinate the gas, clutch and parking brakes control, which a candidate should demonstrate on the driving test. Electronically operated parking brakes make it much easier to handle so the test cars with electronic handbrakes are not suitable for the test.
3. Space saver tyres 
   You should ensure the test vehicle is fitted with the same size tyre on the same axle and that tyres are not speed rated. No space saver tyres permitted!

A test car should also be fitted with a speedometer that measures in mph and km/h, L-plates on the front and rear, a passenger head restraint, an interior mirror and seatbelt for the examiner.

Good luck on your driving test!

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Driving Instructor Earnings

Posted on November 26th, 2009 by admin, under Driving Instructor.

Driving instructor earnings is probably one of the most talked about topic in the industry. As with anything hotly debated, there is confusing diversity of opinions ranging from feel good sales pitches to grave outlooks from pessimists. The best thing to do here would be to think for yourself. Indeed, with some market sense and research you can estimate your potential earnings by yourself and decide if being a driving instructor is an option. Essentially, you want to ask yourself three questions. What can I charge my pupils without compromising my ability to stay competitive in a given economic climate? What are my business expenses? Where is the industry going?

How much can you charge?

You have to realise what is involved in being self-employed. That’s what most ADIs are. It means you don’t have a merit of a steady monthly salary. ADI earnings build solely on the fees they charge their pupils. In a recession, rough national average fee for driving lessons dropped to £20 per hour. It’s not quite advantageous but still profit-making. There is a growing number of driving instructors who are charging less than that under economic pressures, but this doesn’t sound anything near a viable strategy. So let’s estimate your possible earnings using that £20 rate. You simply multiply the rate by an average number of hours to complete a lesson plan. That’s how much can you make off teaching one pupil. Done? Well, it’s too soon to jump at the figure if it looks like a deal to you.

What are your expenses?

That £20 is not all yours to spend. About half of that soon is spent to cover your business expenses such as fuel, vehicle maintenance and advertising, leaving you with about £10 out of which you will have to give HM Revenue and Customs and national insurance their pound of flesh. To cap it all, if driving instructor falls ill or their car breaks down, they get paid nothing at all. Self-employed do not enjoy paid holidays, sick pay and other benefits employees might get. So after all business overheads, tax and insurance, your net hourly income plummets to about £7.

Where is the market going?

It’s going down. The downswing brings to mind the advertising buzz about earning £30,000 a year and army of pupils eager to learn to drive. First, there is glut of supply on the market, meaning less work, tougher competition and downward prices. You have to rub your brain cells together finding ways to save your costs and lure pupils in rather than chasing that a pie in the sky £30,000. Second, with the average £20 per hour and more people cutting back on spending, you will find it awful hard to even earn a decent living. There ARE ADIs who really make that £30,000, but for a driving instructor just out of school it’s a long way to go. We are not being pessimistic though. There is always silver lining. Good news is fewer ADIs doing it, meaning the supply is going down toward the point where it can meet existing demand. So prices will stop deteriorating. Anyway, you need great deal of business sense to seize opportunities as they appear.

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Learning to Drive with Special Needs

Posted on November 26th, 2009 by admin, under Driving Instructor, Driving Schools.

Having moderate learning difficulties such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or Aspergers syndrome can’t deny you an opportunity to learn to drive. This opportunity is vital for you to feel independent and fulfilled. Learning to drive with special needs can be very challenging both physically and emotionally. But aren’t you facing challenges in your everyday life? So think of learning as just one more challenge. Thousands of disabled people hold their driving licence, enjoying the excitement of driving. With diligence, robust motivation and the right training, you will be able to overcome your disabilities, too. Find out how you are going to make it.

Applying for Provisional Licence

Before you start looking for the right driving instructor, you need to consult your GP on your plan to learn to drive. The doctor will brief you on existing DVLA (Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency) guidelines for learners with special needs who are willing to get a driving licence. The agency’s medical advisers will establish whether you are able to meet conditions for safety driving and issue a special certificate that entitles you to apply for your provisional licence with Driving Standards Agency. It would be advisable to get medical reports from your GP to reinforce your application.

Choosing Sensitive Driving Instructor

If you think that driving lessons come natural to pupils with no special needs, you are not quite right. Many people never pass their tests and have to start all over again. Frequently, it is not even their fault. Anyone wishing to learn to drive needs a good driving instructor. But you want to look for more than that, a sensitive, experienced driving instructor who has knowledge of your needs. These people have special training and they can teach you more than just to drive. They will show you how to get in and out of the car more easily and how to operate adapted controls. Big part of learning to drive is learning how to handle adaptive equipment that greatly eases driving and reduces discomfort. Another consideration may be to contact the Forum of Mobility Centers, a network of organisations across the UK that specialises in advising and teaching those with medical conditions which may impair a driver’s ability to drive safely. They also provide a special course for driving instructors who take on teaching people with special needs.

There is no need to say a lot of disabled people can drive a car. If you can do that too, you will accomplish much more than able-bodied learners because daring to get your driving licence is really a heroic deed you can be proud of.

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