It really is possible for anyone to be successful but we would ask you to consider the following points before embarking on a career change :
Are you a good driver ?
Are you a good communicator ?
Are you patient ?
Are you understanding ?
Do you get on well with people of all ages and backgrounds ?
Are you willing to put a lot of hard work and effort into your training course ?
If you can answer yes to all of the above then this may well be the career for you.Training to become a driving instructor need not be daunting but it is hard work and you must be prepared to put in a good deal of study towards achieving your goal.
Virtually anyone can become an instructor and you will see other training organisations simply saying that “if you enjoy driving and hold a clean licence” then this is the job for you. They may also suggest guaranteed earning in excess of £25000 pa . They neglect to say that to be successful requires dedication and determination on your behalf and that building up sufficient business to earn a good wage requires a lot of hard work.
What do You need to do to become fully qualified ?
First of all there are a few requirements which must be met before you can start your training :
You must have held a full UK (or EU) driving licence for 3.5 out of the last 6 years.
You must have less than 6 penalty points on your licence.
You must be able to read a car registration plate from a distance of 27.5 metres.
You must be a “Fit and Proper Person” and you will need to undertake an enhanced Criminal Record Check.
We can provide advice and guidance should you have any worries or concerns about any of the above points.
If you satisfy all of the above criteria, the qualifying process involves passing all three parts of the Qualifying Examinations :
Part One
The ADI Part One Test is in two parts :
A computerised multi-choice question test of 100 questions. The questions are arranged in 4 bands of 25 questions each. The bands are :
A – Road Procedure
B – Traffic Signs & Signals / Pedestrians / Car Control & Mechanical Knowledge
C – The Law / The Driving Test / Disabilities
D – Instructional Technique / Publications
A computerised Hazard Perception Test which requires you to view 14 film clips. You will need to identify 15 “developing hazards” which means that one clip will contain two hazards. You will be scored between 0-5 for each hazard according to how quickly you identify it. In order to pass the test, you will need to score at least 57 out of 75.
Part Two
The Part Two Test is a test of your driving ability. The Test lasts approximately 60 minutes and is conducted along the lines of the standard learner driver test but to a much higher standard. You will be allowed a maximum of only 6 driver faults (none of which can be of a serious or dangerous nature).
Part Three
The Part Three Test is a test of your Instructional Ability and is marked to a very high standard. The test lasts one hour and will consist of two parts :
First – a test of your ability to instruct a complete novice or a pupil with only a few hours of tuition one of a series of pre-set tests (for example – moving away under control, approaching junctions or the turn in the road).
Secondly – a test of your ability to instruct a learner with some previous experience (eg approaching test standard) or a driver taking refresher lessons . Again the subject matter will be one of several pre-set tests.
The “pupil” will be role-played by a Senior Examiner from the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) who will also be assessing and marking your performance.
On successful completion of all Three Parts of the Qualifying Process, you will be invited to join the Register of Approved Driving Instructors.
