Toni's Journey to Becoming a Driving Instructor (Part 1)

In the first of Toni's blog series covering her journey to becoming an instructor, we delve into her considerations in starting her new career.

What made me decide to start this journey?

Having always worked in the Early Years industry, working in private and in school nursery settings, making the leap to become a driving instructor wasn’t a decision I took lightly. 

One of the main deciding factors was the flexibility that becoming an instructor would allow me to have.

The restrictions in my current line of work (working in a public school nursery) meant we could only book our holidays during the school breaks. As many of you parents out there know, this can make a holiday up to 10 times more expensive! 

Another deciding factor for me was the potential earning. Whilst becoming an instructor isn’t the pot of gold many think it is, there is the potential to earn a comfortable living. If you, yourself, work in education, you know it is an unfortunately underpaid sector to be in.

My partner, Adrian, being a driving instructor himself, was the person who suggested I start this journey. He has over 8 years of experience in being an instructor and we spent a lot of time discussing the pros and cons of starting the process of becoming an instructor.

What did I need to consider before starting? 

Becoming a driving instructor requires time, dedication, and an outlay of finances!

You’ll need a DBS check before you can apply, which will set you back almost £10.

You need to pass 3 tests, each costing £81, £111 and £111 respectively, and that’s if you pass them the first time!

Also, you need to have training from an ADI or an ORDIT trainer. Luckily for me, I have Ady at home, who has saved me lots of money by giving me additional training alongside my training I had with SGS training.

So, if you don’t have someone you already know in the profession that can help you, bear in mind there will be training costs involved, but once you start teaching, you will soon cover those costs.  

What next?

Once I completed the DBS and application, it was time to start the process.

Next time, I will talk about the first exam – the Theory Test.

If this is a journey you wish to start, please get in touch, and we will guide and support you in becoming a driving instructor!