Becoming a driving instructor.

[Lord Duckhunter]

Ever since Mrs Duck decided to retrain as a midwife in her 40's, I've been thinking to myself "I need to do something else". Having no real practical skills or a trade, nothing realistic jumps out at me. A few months back Mrs Duck suggested a driving instructor and as the weeks have gone on it's starting to appeal more and more to me. The last 20 years I've been managing people, coaching and feedback has been a major part of my job and I am willing to put the hours in and work unsocial hours.

 

I've now started to tentatively look at this as a career move. On paper it looks great, working for yourself, ect ect. But, I'm sure it's not as rosy or as rewarding as the many ads claim.

 

Does anybody have any knowledge or experience in this field, particulary if they entered the field later in life (I'm coming up 47). I would be interested in the pitfalls and failures and the reason behind those failures. The major issue I see is that having paid £20 for a lesson, I would want somebody who has been teaching driving for longer than 2 weeks. If I ever got up and established then I'm sure I could make a go of it. The limitted amount I know about it, I would think that provided you were good, reliable and professional, then it's all about generating customers, something that I feel I could do. I'm used to managing costs and the P&L side of business, so I'm hoping that I maybe a fit. I realise that it's not going to make me a fortune, but could bring some job satisfaction.

 

I've started to research stuff on the internet, but there's just so much positive and negitive stuff on there, it's hard to see the wood from the trees.

 

Any advise would be greatly received.

[Verbal]

En-Ra-Ha

[Big Stuff Barry]

http://www.adiforum.co.uk/

 

http://www.drivertrainingtoday.co.uk/

[BadgerBadger]

My brother's first driving instructor was with a guy and his Alfa Romeo Sport, he would always leave the car running when he picked him up for his lessons - he failed his first driving test when he went to pull away without starting the car!!!!