corradoboy

My main job only sees me working from 6pm friday through to 7am on monday, so after spending the last 2 years to$$ing it off during the week I've decided to maximise my earning potential and add a second career, with a view to it maybe becoming my primary income.

Today I visited "The Instructor College", and the initial feelings I have are very positive. It will require a reasonably sized financial outlay, but they guarantee a job immediately after qualifying or my money back. They are currently running at 82% success, compared to a national average of just 32%, and have no conditions after qualifying, where some similar outfits require you work for them for upto 2 years hence. The course includes business qualifications should you wish to immediately go self employed along with your 1st 6 months accountancy paid for, and tuition is unlimited until you either pass or quit.

So, are there any driving instructors out there who can offer me any advise based on their experience ? Any help will be graciously appreciated.

richs2891

If you enjoying driving yourself, - I don’t imagine sat in a town or similar environment trying to teach people from scratch to drive will really do it for you !
You would have to have the patience by the absolute shed load / nerves of steel / ability not to shout or lose your rage at the stupid mistakes they make. All this coupled with the ability to get information over to some people who clearly can't grasp the simplest of principles.
Have you any previous teaching experience? As an experiment try taking a non driving colleague friend / relative out for a mock lesson – on private land if they have not got a licence. Might give you a good insight, taught my little cousin to drive, never again !

Richard

slickrick

how much do you have to pay the college?

corradoboy

Total cost IRO £3k. This is for unlimited tuition until qualified, first 6 months accountancy by a firm specialising in driving instructors, guaranteed job offer. The earning potential is roughly £400/wk net working approx 26 hours self employed, same amount with 30 hours input if working for a local school, or same after 32 hours with a large national such as BSM/AA.

As for attempting to teach a novice relative; been there, done that. Did 3 hours with my 16 yr old nephew a while back on a local airfield with no problems. He certainly showed no natural ability, but I progressed him to the point where he could quite easily control a car and he now has a base from where to learn fully. The average now for learning from scratch to passing the test is 46 hours of tuition.

Average price £23/hour, usual bookings for 2 hours a time, once or twice a week. Each potential customer therefore could be worth in excess of £1k, assuming a first time pass, which only 28% manage now, and the test is set to become harder soon.

30 hour week, gross £690. If self employed allow £50/wk car lease, £50 fuel, £50 tax (which with a good accountant may never be needed ), £5 insurance, £20 maintenance, £20 marketing. I'm sure there's a few other things to pay out but it's getting late and my notes are downstairs.

If you choose to work for A.N.Other school, then they usually feed you with the clients, but take approx £180 of the take, whilst providing the car, insurance, servicing, marketing and admin etc.

slickrick

thanks for the info corradoboy,i may be trying it soon aswell.thought the initial outlay would be more.

David Lock

Not sure about the 26 hours per week? My boy's instructor (£20/hr) is pretty fully booked but in the summer starts at 8.30 and we often see him in the evening. Also does weekend lessons. Maybe he justs puts the hours in. The 46 hours of tuition is not always instructor only as this will usually include parent/adult "lessons" as well. My kid's mates seem to have around 20 x 1-hour lessons with instructor before the big day. This instructor keeps in with one of the local schools so a steady stream of 17 year olds on the books. Speaking to an AA instructor recently he told me he does over 1000 miles per week although this was semi-rural area. It's a job that I could NOT do so good luck! dl

corradoboy

With regards to "parental" lessons, the rules are going to change soon where lessons can only be given by a qualified instructor and thus anyone attempting to teach their siblings will be both breaking the law, and uninsured.

The odds are really starting to stack up in favour of anyone qualified to teach, as the tests get harder and thus more fail and need to have more lessons, and with the above legislation. Obviously the government is usuing it as both a way of trying to reduce the number of drivers on the roads, and a way of generating more VAT as lessons will HAVE to be paid for.

David Lock

Wow - didn't know that. Seems a bit ott but certainly works in your favour. How times have changed. When I passed my test I could sit in with mate still on "L" plates even though I was still only 17. One pal drove his dad's DB5 (yes he was insured) on a plate which was a bit of fun plus no top national speed limit then.......

Think I'll buy a disused airfield and hire it out for mums and dads to sit in whilst Junior practices! dl