In this modern world driving has become an essential skill. Every year the number of lessons taken by each learner to pass the driving test is increasing. Therefore demand for driving lessons and professional qualified instructors is growing rapidly with many instructors having waiting lists. (On average learners in Britain take more than 50 hours of lessons and spend more than £1500 to get their licence)*.
In addition, every week there seems to be another story in the press, Internet or on TV about what the Government is planning to do to improve road safety. Whether it is altering the age for young people to start driving, re-testing older drivers or re-training those who choose to drive dangerously, there seems no end to the changes planned. The Government may wish to do all of these things. However, they cannot action any changes without driver's training industry. This is what makes it such an exciting time to become a Driving Instructor. If you want to train to become a driving instructor, you need to be 21 or over and have held a full driving licence for at least three and a half years.
If you have more than five points on your licence, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) may reject your application, so this is something to consider at the very start.
*Source – Learning to Drive Consultation Paper (Dept of Transport 2008)
The ADI qualification exam has three parts: a computer-based theory test, a practical driving ability test, and a practical instruction ability test. You must pass all three parts, in order, within a period of two years. If you don't complete them all within that time, you'll need to start again from scratch. You can take the theory test as many times as you need to, but you'll only have three attempts at each of the practical tests within those two years.
It's not just about formal qualifications. To be a great driving instructor, you need to know how to motivate your pupils to do their best. You'll have excellent communication skills and be able to keep a cool head under pressure even when someone is driving on the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic!
