Be Aware
As a professional driving instructor training centre we feel sad that we have had to print a page warning you to the danger of you being persuaded to part with large sums of money by some driving instructor training companies. Obviously you need to pay for the training to become a driving instructor, however in our experience we find that most people do not understand how complex and difficult it is to become a driving instructor. Some people have very little idea about how to choose an ADI training company or an ADI trainer, unfortunately this has led to a number of learner driving instructors and driving instructor training groups cashing in on your vulnerability.
The following advice is in two parts:
- How to choose an ADI Trainer
- What to be aware of.
How to choose an ADI Trainer
When paying out good money for driving instructor training make sure you are getting the very best ADI training possible. Only ADI trainers on the Ordit register have had their work assessed by the Driving Standards Agency, and these ADI trainers are the only ones that are approved and recommended by the DSA without any exceptions.
Driving Instructors are all graded by the Driving Standards Agency on a scale of one to six with grade six being the highest grade. Approximately only about 7% of driving instructors are at the grade six level and obviously these ADI's are justifiably proud of this, therefore don't take it for granted that you are being told the truth, ask to see the driving instructors most recent grading certificate, and remember that if they do not advertise that they are grade 6 you would be wise to think ‘ Why Not’? Some people put letters after their name that do not mean qualifications, an example of this is DIA and MSA which really only mean that they have paid a membership fee to join the Driving Instructor Association or the Motor Schools Association.
You would be wise to check on your trainer's history of driving instructor training by asking for proper testimonials of people that they have trained, don’t accept statements like --- Joe Bloggs of Bolton says blah blah blah --- proper ADI trainers will gladly give you testimonials.
It is quite common for some driving schools to put in their advertising that they conduct driving instructor training courses, there is nothing wrong with this providing that they know what they are doing, unfortunately we have knowledge of driving instructors who have only just qualified as ADI’s immediately advertising that they do ADI training. Training people to become a driving instructor is very different from training learner drivers and it is up to you to check if you are being misled.
What to be aware of
We feel that you need to be aware of certain advertising methods and practices that are used by some people within the driving instructor training industry to convince you to part with your money. These methods and practices are quite common and in some cases are perfectly honest and legal, but in other cases they are very dishonest and often bordering on illegal.
You will often see some driving instructor training companies advertising continuously and stating " Driving Instructors urgently required " and that you can make earnings like 25k to 40k per annum with a company car supplied and that all you need to do is take a driving instructor training course with them, some say that they want you to work for their new driving school ? Or that they can place you with a national driving school . Be careful about this as often the advert makes it seem relatively easy to become a driving instructor and also some figures are often grossly exaggerated. What you are often not told is that you will most likely have to pay a large amount of money out of your earnings to pay for the car and pupils usually in the form of a franchise.
Some driving instructor training companies make it seem that it is only them that can get you a job with a national driving school , when the truth is that you only have to open any trade magazine to realise that these same large national driving schools are advertising all the time for newly qualified driving instructors . All you may need to do is to pick up the telephone and get the job yourself.
Some driving instructor training adverts are connected to driving schools that are stating that they are growing very fast and that they need new driving instructors urgently. However if you go out on the roads and drive around the areas that are densely populated with driving school cars you most likely will never see them teaching learner drivers . If you are not in this business it is easy to be misled by believing you will have a job at the end of your driving instructor training course with a new driving school and a brand new car. Apart from driving instructor training see if you can see that they actually have any learner driver cars on the road with learner drivers in them.
If an advertisement states that they have helped thousands of people to become a driving instructor in just a few years, it may only mean that they have spoken to thousands on the telephone or thousands have visited their website, or it may simply mean that thousands of people have done driving instructor training with them. It doesn't mean that they have all qualified as Driving Instructors . Ask the DSA . Also it is often claimed that a very high percentage of people have passed with them. If you read it again it can also just mean that the figures are taken from just a selected few. Obviously the selected few are craftily chosen by them. (Read between the lines)
Some companies say that they will get you lots of work and if they don’t they will repay you all your driving instructor training course fees. Usually this means that you will be required to work for them for one year after qualifying and most likely have to pay them a hefty franchise during that time, so in reality you are paying them a lot of money for a complete year so that they can repay you a lot smaller amount back at the end of the year. Our guess is that you will phone them to tell them to pick up their car within a few months.
It is easy to play with figures and a common ploy is to inflate the normal learner driver hourly rate and also the number of hours each pupil takes in learning how to drive . Be realistic, there is a lot of competition within the learner driving world, ask yourself how much you would pay and how long would you take to learn to drive.
Take the advice of the DSA . They advise you in the ADI 14 (Your road to become a Driving Instructor ) to check out very carefully and to get the answers in writing to your questions and not to sign anything or pay out for a complete course unless you are sure that the course is what you want. Ask yourself why do they put this in bold print in a government booklet?
If you are asked to pay out a large sum of money in advance for the whole of your driving instructor training course and also all of your exam fees and registration payment you should wonder why they require all this money in one go. You might ask why in particular they need your exam fees and registration payment paid to them, as it is just as easy for you to pay these to the DSA when they are required. Is it that if you decide not to continue with your instructor training or fail a practical exam three times that you may have signed something to say that you can't have your money back? Also remember that if you hand over all your money you will have lost the control.
If something looks too good to be true - don't be fooled as in life it usually is.
Learn to read between the lines of any advertising or sales talk.
Promises of your earnings are not promises of your profit.
Nobody supplies you with a free car. Think? Only fresh air is free in this world.
A promise of a job with a large national driving school is often a franchise. (There is a difference)
If you are told that your driving instructor training is unlimited and you will be trained until you qualify, remember that you only get three lives at the practical ADI exams , and then you would need to wait up to two years before starting all over again. How many people start all over again is likely to be very few indeed.
A driving instructor training centre that trains you because they want you to work for them after you become a driving instructor has a definite incentive to get you through the exams.
A lovely glossy promotional brochure may only mean that they have used a very good printer.
Career development loans still have to be paid back - even if you fail to qualify.
Remember the saying "If in doubt - don't pay out"
The advice above is only meant to assist you in your decision to become a driving instructor, and maybe to open your eyes as to the way that some people advertise driving instructor training courses.
To become a driving instructor is a fantastic achievement and a very worthwhile career, please be careful when choosing a driving instructor training course and remember to follow your instincts if in doubt.
