Becoming a driving instructor - The right career path?
Many people choose to become a driving instructor because they believe themselves to be a good driver, however, the most important criterion for this career choice is being a good communicator. The majority of pupils have never experienced driving before and so will be nervous and it is your task to teach them how to drive safely and prepare them for their test, whilst keeping calm and patient. Being a driving instructor is a very rewarding career choice, it is great to see your pupil achieve something they could not previously do and you will get a sense of satisfaction seeing them pass their test. You can enjoy flexible working hours also, so it is the ideal career if you want to work during school hours for example, even the training can be done around your current commitments so you can still generate an income whilst training.
To be a good driving instructor therefore you need:
- excellent communication skills – able to relay information to pupils of varying abilities
- patience and understanding
- a friendly approach to people
- good driving skills
- a responsible attitude to driving
- flexibility to work when pupils need lessons – evenings and weekends for example
- organisation skills – able to forward plan
- to be a fun person!
To become an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) you need to be 21 or over, have held a full driving licence for four years or more, have no serious motoring convictions and be able to read a car number plate from 20 metres. The training can take up to 18 months as there are 3 tests to take and you cannot progress on to the next stage until you have passed the previous test.