In 2017 over 660,000 young people in the UK will reach the age of 17, the legal age when they can start to learn to drive. At the moment demand for driving lessons is high, many driving instructors across the UK are operating waiting lists and lesson prices are at a premium. A recent independent survey of the driving school industry by FBTC Accountancy Services has shown that average earnings for driving instructors is now around £700 per week, while the top 11%, who are working additional hours are earning in excess of £1000 per week! In order to become a driving instructor, candidates need to obtain a DBS check through the gov.uk website and pass three examinations, one theory and two practical. The main appeal of working as a driving instructor is the flexibility of choosing your own hours, being your own boss and the job satisfaction after seeing each of your pupils pass their driving test.
Kate Williamson is a franchisee in Bicester with Learner Driving Centre. Kate had made initial enquiries with LDC prior to attending a local careers event in Tidworth in 2014. Kate signed up to the LDC training course in autumn 2014. The training course is a mixture of home study and in car training on a 1 – 1 basis with a fully ORDIT qualified trainer (Official Register of Driving Instructor Trainers).
Kate started the training while she was still in service and soon after she left she started working on a trainee licence in autumn 2015 and she passed her final Part 3 exam March 2016. When Kate joined the team she was charging £27 per hour and has just increased her prices to £30 an hour.
"I joined the Forces in 2008 with the Royal Military Police, however this wasn’t for me. I then joined Royal Household Cavalry, then joined 14 Regiment at Larkhill. I left in 2015.
I was told of the local careers event from my Battery Sergeant Major, there was a few of us going through resettlement at the time and it was recommended we attend.
Working with LDC is great, it is a family environment, they are a great bunch of people. They treat everyone equal. One reason I chose to be a driving instructor was because I could set my own diary. This meant a lot to me because being in the Forces you couldn’t always guarantee time off.
I was scared at first, but it has worked out great. The calls start coming. LDC help you with your website and the call centre let you know you have new clients enquiring all the time. I can call anyone at LDC and they will help. if I have anything I need to ask them i can call anytime.
We have a great support network within LDC, it is kind of like being in the Armed Forces, just not as rigid.
I did a bit of coaching within the Army and I liked that, I liked passing my knowledge on. That’s why I thought driving instructor would be suitable for me and what I wanted to do.
Meeting Gemma at the Tidworth event was just the icing on the cake, and I knew then, yeah this is what I want to do. I would definitely recommend anyone going through resettlement to go to one of the events, meeting someone face to face and being able to ask questions is invaluable.
Gemma said to me at Tidworth, if my diary wasn’t full in 3 months she would eat her hat. And she hasn’t eaten her hat, so there you go.
I would recommend LDC to anyone, absolutely. My initial thought was start of as a franchisee then go out on my own, but there is no need. LDC provide all the service, all the support, they provide a website for me, everything is there for me, why would I go on my own. There is no need to do that"
Contact LDC now for a free information pack:
0800 1970010 / 0197769100,www.LDCforces.co.uk ,Recruitment@learnerdriving.com