Thinking of becoming a driving instructor?
Driving instructor training in the UK...
Changing your career is a major step needing careful consideration and planning - this particularly important if you plan to undertake ADI Training.
The independent advice provided here could be the difference between a great career as a driving instructor or a costly mistake ...
This cautionary advice is offered free of charge simply because we feel that we have a duty to share our knowledge about the driving instructor training business and help to protect you from some of the pitfalls.
You can find advice from the Driving Standards Agency by clicking here (opens in new window/tab)
If you find the advice helpful, we hope that you will become a member of the SmartDriving web site when you start training - and at that point you might also wish to buy materials and services from us. Our philosophy is simple - we aim to build positive working relationships with our clients - in order to do this you need to be sure that you can trust SmartDriving.
Another example of our 'goodwill philosophy' can be found in our free Better Driving Course (a full self-teach driving course which can also help you to save £100's on your training costs).
You need to know these facts ...
- As many as 90% of those who pay £1000's in fees for driving instructor training never qualify and take up their 'job promises'.
- There is a high ADI failure rate amongst the top advertised driving instructor training companies.
- Some companies have restrictive refund policies or tie you in to restrictive franchise contracts that will leave you earning less than the minimum wage.
- Just because a company is ORDIT Registered there is no guarantee that you will receive good quality ADI training to help you to become a driving instructor.
- Not all newspaper and TV job opportunities for driving instructors are what they might at first appear to be...
For example, why would an organisation with fewer than 500 instructors seek to train more than 1000 new instructors every year?
- You can earn £30,000 plus per year as a driving instructor and to enjoy all the benefits of being your own boss...
But only if you run your own business.
- It's also possible that you could end up as one of the estimated 90%+ who never qualify and lose £1000's in the process.
We do not train instructors - our business is mainly involved with the improvement of current instructors and trainers; however we can recommend independent trainers if requested... We do however, get a lot of enquiries from people who have needlessly wasted £1000's on worthless driving instructor training.
Doing a bit of homework now won't cost you a penny; for example, simply knowing that treating a driving instructor training sales meeting as if it were a job interview could end up costing you a fortune! When you go to see a company they are NOT offering you a job, no matter how they 'dress it up' - they are selling you a training course.
Do your homework!
The shocking truth is that training and exams can cost well over £3000 and some estimates suggest that fewer than 10% of those who begin a training course actually qualify - and that many of those who do qualify leave the industry within three years.
The advice given on this web site will help you make a sensible and informed career choice, and help ensure that you get the best possible start to your new career
Click here now for a cautionary tale... This person was one of the many 'unlucky' ones. 'Cries for help' like this hit the SmartDriving in-box every month - luckily we were able to help and the story had a happy ending. Had Michelle seen the advice in these pages before starting her training she would never have chosen the training provider who let her down so badly.
The starting point...
Because this site contains quite a lot of advice and guidance, you might like to start with the 'Frequently asked Questions' page for an overview of driving instructor training and driving instruction as a career.
Click the forward arrow to start finding out the real facts about driving instructor training and become a Driving Standards Agency Approved Driving Instructor...
