How long does it take to qualify as a Driving Instructor?

Question

From start to finish? Also, are there any of you who do this as a job? Do you enjoy it? How much does it cost to do a course? Can you recommend a course? Are there any negatives to this job?

Answer 1

Driving Instructor
The work

Driving instructors teach people the skills needed to drive safely, understand road procedures and bring them up to the standard required to pass their driving test.

Initially, an instructor assesses the learner's driving knowledge and skills and then plans a series of lessons, with the aim of helping the learner to get their driving licence.

Most driving lessons follow a similar pattern and include:

* introducing the learner to the vehicle controls, mirrors and indicators
* moving off and stopping the vehicle
* understanding road signs, road markings and traffic signals
* turning left and right
* carrying out manoeuvres, such as overtaking, reversing and parking
* dealing with emergency situations.

The instructor monitors the learner at all times and uses dual controls to make slight adjustments to their driving when necessary. As the learner becomes more competent, the instructor takes them on to busier roads, dual carriageways and more complex junctions like roundabouts.

Instructors also teach road safety, the Highway Code and basic vehicle checks. When the instructor thinks the learner is ready, they 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 learners can do much of this themselves.

Instructors work for driving schools or are self-employed.

Specialist Instruction
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.

Hours and Environment

Working hours vary and often include evenings and weekends. Lessons are normally between one and two hours. There may be seasonal variations in bookings, particularly around Christmas or the summer holidays.

Most of your time is spent in the car, driving to collect clients, then sitting in the passenger seat during lessons.
Skills and Interests

To be a driving instructor you should:

* have excellent driving skills, road safety knowledge and enthusiasm for driving
* be able to give instructions clearly and concisely
* be able to adapt your teaching style to suit all clients, for example nervous learners
* have patience and good interpersonal skills
* be able to stay calm and point out errors in a constructive way
* have a sense of humour
* be observant and able to react quickly and safely to any problems
* have a basic knowledge of car mechanics, for example when explaining about changing gears, steering and vehicle checks.

Entry

You do not need formal academic qualifications to become a driving instructor, but you should register with the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) as an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI).

To apply for registration, you must meet the following criteria:

* have held a full UK/EU driving licence for at least four years out of the last six
* have not been disqualified during the last four years
* complete criminal record and motoring conviction checks
* pass a theory test and pass two practical exams within two years of the theory part (see the Training section below for details).

Driving or teaching experience can be an advantage. Many driving schools prefer applicants over the age of 21 because insurance premiums are lower.

The DSA sends out a starter pack, which includes information about the career and an ADI application form. The DSA also holds a list of approved training providers - the Official Register of Driving Instructor Training (ORDIT). A copy of this is included in the starter pack. For DSA details, see the Further Information section below.

Training

Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) exams
ADI exams are in three parts:

* a computer-based theory test
* a practical test of driving ability
* a practical test of teaching ability.

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.

Courses 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.

Trainee Licence
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 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.

Professional qualifications
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.

Opportunities

Most driving instructors are self-employed, but you may start by working within a franchised driving school.

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 options like defensive driving training or retraining traffic offenders. The police, fire service, ambulance service and the armed forces employ their own driving instructors.

The main career progression is into self-employment but competition can be intense, as there are no restrictions on how many instructors can operate within an area.

There may be opportunities to become a senior instructor or a driving school manager, and the DSA occasionally recruits experienced driving instructors as driving examiners.
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.

Answer 2

It is cheaper to go with a family member and is perfectly legal however over the 12 years he has been driving, he will have picked up his own bad driving habits, such as crossing hands over when steering rather than feeding the steering wheel through your hands. It is your choice at the end of the day but remember it is illegal for the person instructing you to receive money unless they are a qualified ADI (Approved Driving Instructor). PS For the driving test you would need to fit an additional rear view mirror for the instructor. Hope this helped!

Answer 3

hi mate, if its a driving instructor course you are wanting to do I believe you can be teaching in approx 8 months after you have completed part 1, part 2 and completed 40hrs core curriculum - you can then go out on a trainee licence to help you with your part 3 exam.

Whatever you do make sure the trainer is ORDIT Registered, believe it or not one of the biggest instructor training school actually isn't! - I wont say the name.

I would really recommend BSM as they are ORDIT registered, offer a fair payment scheme and I also used to work in one of the centres in Wales and could see how commited my senior colleages were at doing their job.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

You may as well ask how long is a piece of string, or how long did it take you to learn to drive. You would get a variety of answers. The only way to find out is to go for it if that is what you want to do.

Answer 6

depends on what type of driver you want
to license; car drivers, truck drivers,
commercial license drivers.

I was a driving instructor 3 decades ago.
A weird job. People will do anything in the driver's seat! ANYTHING.

costs from 2,000 to 12,000

none I care for

Answer 7

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