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Competition and opportunity in the ‘L’ sector.
There are around 42,000 driving instructors currently listed on the Driving Standards Agency Register of Approved Driving Instructors; 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 14,000.
Competition The high number of driving instructors indicates that there is a lot of competition in the industry, as a result some instructors are not successful, either working for a franchise or for themselves. But the good news is that there is plenty of work for those who offer the best service. 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! |
Driving instruction offers a worthwhile career opportunity for the right individuals. Many 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 given at SmartDriving understand that good instructors don't sit in the passenger seat - they sit in the instructor's seat!
It is important to remember that driving instruction is a teaching, rather than a driving profession.
Not all good drivers make good teachers!
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 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 schools act as agencies for instructors who own their own car but who trade under a collective school name; instructors pay an hourly or weekly fee for this service.
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 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.
Click the forward arrow below to learn about selling your services...
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