Competition and opportunity in the ‘L’ sector
There are around 45,000 Approved Driving Instructors currently listed on the Driving Standards Agency; many are home-based, one-vehicle operators.
Driving instruction offers an ideal part-time career for those who retire early, e.g., those on a service pension, mothers with children of school age, people wanting a second income, however, there are no statistics available to show exactly how many registered instructors are part-time although it's estimated to be about 12,000.
Competition
The high number of driving instructors indicates that there is a lot of competition in the industry - as a result of this some instructors are not successful, whether working for a franchise or for themselves. Many new businesses fail because instructors have nor done sufficient research or learned the relevant skills.
But the good news is that there is plenty of work for those who offer the best service. But in order to rank amongst the best you need to ensure that you get the best driving instructor training course.
Most competition is price driven, however, the best instructors can avoid the 'sell it cheap' trap. With the right training, you can be amongst the best from day-one (and get better as you gain experience!)
In areas where driving schools are offering cut price lessons there will also be instructors who are not only charging a premium price - but who also have a customer waiting list! Our recent survey showed that in areas where driving lessons were available for as low as £18, there were instructors charging over £28.
Driving instruction offers a worthwhile career opportunity for the right individuals, however it isn't for everyone.
Some people who consider becoming a driving instructor see the job as simply 'sitting in a car' while the pupil drives around - these people are often unsuccessful and are unsuited for the job.
Driving Instructor Students who follow the advice in these pages and on the SmartDriving web site and at yourfuture1st.com understand that good instructors don't sit in the passenger seat - they sit in the instructor's seat!
Although it might be stating the obvious ... It is important to remember that driving instruction is a teaching, rather than a driving profession.
Not all good drivers make good teachers!
Local business
Independent driving instructors tend to operate in small urban catchment areas to economise on time and petrol costs. Each local area is made up of a small number of self-employed sole-traders, often working from home.
A well motivated, well suited, individual in this environment can build a viable business in less than a year, however, it can take up to five years to establish really good reputation in the trade.
Apart from ‘self-sufficient’ instructors there are many who work on a franchise basis with schools such as the AA Driving School or the British School of Motoring.
These operations offer a full package of car, corporate image and a certain amount of business in exchange for a weekly fee.
Other driving schools act as agencies for instructors who own their own cars but who trade under a collective school name; instructors pay an hourly or weekly fee for this service.
Highest earners?
If you wish to earn the highest income it is necessary to work for yourself. It is effectively impossible to earn the figures quoted in many advertisements when working for a driving school.
The advertisements are designed to sell you a driving instructor training course - they are not dishonest; theoretically you could earn £30,000 per year working for a driving school but it would require you to be on the road for 60+ hours per week, with only three weeks holiday including all public holidays.
Being self-employed might sound like a daunting prospect for someone who has always been in direct employment, but if it is a route that you choose, the advice in the SmartDriving Members Area can help you to succeed. In addition, The Instructor Training Company offers full follow up training and support to all clients.
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