27 Nov, 2023
Charity empowers veterans with new careers in truck driving, tackling homelessness and joblessness
A non-profit organization is aiding former military personnel in entering the truck driving sector, aiming to lessen homelessness…
Careers
Do you have a driving ambition? Driving instruction is a profession that offers varied opportunities and flexible employment to those of the right temperament. If that sounds like you then buckle up and read on …
Driving instructors offer guidance to their students on how to drive all kinds of vehicles safely on the roads, enabling the learner drivers in their charge to gain a full understanding of all aspects of driving in order to gain a full driving licence or improve their skills in a particular area (take a look at the box titled ‘The day job’, for more info). The bulk of the average driving instructor’s workload, though, will involve learner drivers seeking to pass their driving test in a car.
This sector is becoming increasingly competitive as more and more people find they are attracted to the idea of working for themselves – when the time comes for you to leave the Armed Forces, this might apply to you too. Remember, though, that the hours can be long and demanding, and driving instructors often work alone, on a self-employed basis, even if they are working as part of a franchise for a larger driving school. This means that payment is received only for those hours when instruction is actually taking place and any time between lessons is unpaid. For this reason, some instructors work part-time, fitting their driving instruction work around another job.
If you want to work as a driving instructor in future, your biggest outlay will be for your car – as well as the initial purchase price, fuel and maintenance can be expensive. However, if you choose to work for a franchise, you may be provided with a car as part of the deal, particularly if the franchise fee is high.
THE DAY JOB
Driving lessons usually follow a similar pattern. As an instructor, you will be teaching your clients:
- to use vehicle controls with confidence
- to manoeuvre, turn, reverse and park safely
- the correct approach to road safety
- about driving laws and the Highway Code
- how to do basic vehicle checks
- how to deal with emergency situations.
Source: National Careers Service
The first step to becoming an instructor is to register on the gov.uk website to train as an approved driving instructor (ADI). To do so, you will need to meet the following conditions:
Click here to check you are eligible to become a driving instructor.
Before you can apply to join the ADI Register, you must pass three qualifying tests (see below, under ‘Get qualified!’). An ADI is someone who has passed all three parts and is currently registered with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). You will need to apply to the DVSA before you start the qualifying tests. Once you have passed the second part of the qualifying examination – the driving ability assessment – you can apply for the trainee’s ‘licence to give instruction’. Although this allows you to be legally paid for giving driving instruction, it is not an alternative to registering as an ADI.
Once registered, an ADI may work for a driving school or become self-employed. Some ADIs choose to take additional qualifications so that they can train drivers of large goods vehicles (LGVs), say, or fleet drivers. An ADI must also pass special ‘check tests’ at certain intervals. These are to satisfy the Registrar that they still meet the standards laid down for ability and fitness to give instruction.
Each Service has its own driving instructors based at the Defence School of Transport, its satellite establishments, single-Service bases and with units – all of them trained and qualified to DVSA standards. Some will already be on the appropriate register, others may not be. However, virtually every motor transport pool is able to instruct people to drive the vehicles it manages. Thanks to the vast range of vehicles in use in the Armed Forces, there are Service people holding every conceivable licence, not to mention those who have trained them.
Driving instructors need to be accomplished drivers; they also need flexibility, imagination and commitment. A Service background, with its social interaction and self-discipline, offers very good preparation. The ability to teach is vital, as are a high level of driving skills, a knowledge of how people learn, an ability to assess the performance of others, and communication and interpersonal skills.
The three tests that you have to take to become an ADI are:
You must pass each part before taking the next. You can take the theory test (part 1) as many times as you need to, but you have only three attempts to pass parts 2 and 3. You must pass these within two years of passing part 1. The qualifying process usually takes many months.
Part 1, the theory test, comprises two parts: a multiple-choice section and a hazard perception section; it takes around 1 hour and 45 minutes altogether. You must pass both parts at the same time to pass the test. There’s no limit to how many times you can take the test, which currently costs £81.
The second part is the driving ability test. It takes around an hour, currently costs £111, and consists of an eyesight test, vehicle safety questions and a test of your ability to drive to a very high standard. It will prove whether or not you have a thorough understanding of good, safe driving techniques, and that you can also demonstrate them.
Part 3 is the instructional ability test, which measures your ability to instruct pupils and is generally considered the most difficult of the three qualifying tests. You must pass part 2 before you book part 3. The test, which currently costs £111, takes around an hour and includes an assessment of core competencies, instructional techniques and instructor characteristics. During the test, the examiner will assess these by playing the role of two different pupils. Once you have passed this test, you can apply for your first ADI badge and join the ADI register.
Please note that all three parts of the ADI test work differently in Northern Ireland (click here for further information).
You can find links to full information about the three tests – plus to a host of other pages likely to be of interest – on the gov.uk website.
The ADI qualification lasts four years. You will have to apply to renew your registration before the end of your current registration period, and will then need another DBS check.
Motorcycle instructors may be trained directly by Approved Training Bodies (the only organisations that can teach Compulsory Basic Training, CBT) and/or complete a two-day assessment by examiners at a specified DVSA centre. Further qualification is required to teach Direct Access courses.
LGV instructors who wish to be on the DVSA’s voluntary register take a similar series of exams to those for ADIs. They can be certified for four years, after which time they will need to re-register.
Lift truck instructors should pass a course with a trainer accredited by the Health & Safety Executive
Blue light vehicles (police, fire, ambulance and MoD) are now recognised as a specialist category for the training of drivers who are competent in emergency situations. The three core competencies are:
1. assessing the need for an emergency response
2. driving the vehicle safely to emergencies
3. demonstrating the correct attitude when responding to emergencies.
Fleet driver training also has a voluntary registration scheme for trainers. Fleet driver trainers, qualified to a higher level, teach more advanced driving, usually in the corporate market; the register was introduced to set standards for those who specialise in providing this type of training, and to help raise the profile of the training on offer to fleet drivers and their employers. ADIs can qualify for the register through a three-part exam comprising a touchscreen-based theory test, a practical driving test and a practical instructional test, or they can complete and pass an accredited course.
As a potential instructor, you should ensure that the training provider you choose is reputable. The DVSA’s Official Register of Driving Instructor Training (ORDIT) lists suitably qualified and inspected trainers and establishments, and anyone seeking ADI training can approach them knowing that they have achieved the required standards. Training costs vary, so you should contact several providers to compare fees before deciding which course offers the best value for your personal circumstances. Be aware that many companies advertise in the press, and there is no requirement to be registered with the ORDIT.
Under the ELC scheme, a wide range of learning can be taken, provided it is offered by an approved provider listed on the ELCAS website and is at level 3 or above. For full details of how to make the most of your ELC, refer to the in-depth features elsewhere on the Quest website
DRIVING INSTRUCTORS IN DEMAND!
The pandemic may have had an adverse effect in many walks of life, but there are some very good reasons why training as a driving instructor is still a desirable – and feasible – option.
- Lockdowns have led to a huge backlog in driving lessons, making driving instructors highly sought after.
- Driving schools are reporting unprecedented levels of new customers wanting to learn to drive.
- Many established driving instructors have decided to retire or leave the industry, which makes now a great time to take control of your career and be in pole position to take over from them.
- The first part of the ADI test can be done online, which means you could start right away and be on the road in no time.
Once qualified, there are several options:
If you decide to work as a driving instructor through a franchise, the fees you’ll have to pay are likely to vary considerably, depending on what’s included. (Clearly, this may account for a significant proportion of your earnings, so you will need to give it careful consideration.) Working through a franchise, you would usually pay a weekly fee of between £200 and £300, but be provided with a car. You would also pay for your own fuel (which is quite a serious consideration with the current high fuel costs, of course). If a fee seems on the high side, check the sorts of benefits it includes. For example, will you get:
The marketplace is diverse and offers many different earning opportunities. As well as training learner drivers to pass both the theory and practical elements of the test, there is the Pass Plus scheme, the Driver Improvement Scheme and retraining people who have fallen foul of motoring laws.
According to the National Careers Service, full-time driving instructors can earn around £15,000 to £20,000 in their first year. Established instructors can earn around £20,000 to £30,000 a year, and experienced or specialist skills instructors £30,000-plus. Income is based on the cost of the driving lesson and the number of hours worked. You’ll charge between £15 and £30 an hour, depending on your location and competitors’ charges. Car maintenance and other expenses, such as fuel, have to be paid for too, so don’t forget to factor in these essential expenses.
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-transport
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/driver-and-vehicle-standards-agency
A non-profit organization is aiding former military personnel in entering the truck driving sector, aiming to lessen homelessness…
After leaving the Army in 2009 I found myself working as an air conditioning engineer for a couple of years before going on to the close protection scene in Iraq.
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