If your love of driving has caused you to consider whether you should become a driving instructor, then it’s important to know what you could be getting yourself into.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at some of the pros and cons of becoming a driving instructor and what you can expect to encounter with this career change. By the end, you should have enough information to help you make the right decision for you and, hopefully, understand how you can help others with their driving.
What makes a good driving instructor?
As part of your driving instructor training, you must take both a written and practical driving test before you can sit with a learner driver.
But even if you score highly, taking a test isn’t always a great indicator of whether or not you’ll be a good driving instructor. As an experienced driver, you may find it difficult to relate to someone starting out, for example. Many different things will influence your teaching abilities, so by weighing up the pros and cons of becoming a driving instructor, you can determine whether this career is for you.
Pros of becoming a driving instructor
- You get to be your own boss
Do you dream of being self-employed? Or maybe you have ambitions of being your own boss and owning your own business? Well, as a driving instructor, you can do both.
Whether you sign up for a national driving school franchise or follow a more independent route, becoming a driving instructor allows you to take charge of your career. You can choose when to give driving lessons, when to take time off, and how many students you want to teach. Remember that the more driving lessons you book with students, the more money you’ll earn – so the sky’s the limit. The average driving instructor salary can be around £31,000 a year in the UK, after tax, national insurance and expenses.
- Driving instructors are always in demand
New learner drivers are looking to practise their skills every day, and this isn’t going to change any time soon. That means starting a career as a full-time driving instructor offers plenty of job security, with the industry seeing record numbers of learner drivers take to the road.
There are thousands of learners looking for helpful and qualified driving instructors, with over half a million learners waiting for their driving test, alongside all the newly turned 17 year olds. If you spend time building a good reputation, you can be sure that many of those learners will find their way to you. When learners seek you out, you’ll have a constant flow of business earning you £30-£40 per hour.
- You can help others
As most professional driving instructors will tell you, teaching learners how to drive is a fun and rewarding experience. After all, we were all learner drivers at one stage – and our instructors made a huge difference in how we felt about driving.
Much like other professions where you can help and teach others, a career as a driving instructor has excellent job satisfaction. Just imagine your students’ faces when they get their licences. It’s a feeling that can’t be recreated in many other jobs.
Learning to drive means a lot to most people. Being able to drive is an important life milestone and gives them freedom and opportunities. As people learn to drive, they often develop in confidence as well – and that’s a wonderful journey to be a part of.
- Flexible hours
Driving instructors typically have the choice to work part-time or full-time. You can even work as an instructor if you already have a job and set your own hours to work around your schedule.
When you set your own hours, you’re also free to take time off or go on holiday whenever you want. Of course, the more available you are, the more lessons you’ll book. In turn, you’ll earn even more money and ultimately have more financial freedom. What’s more – you can even begin earning money as a trainee driving instructor, making this career path even more affordable.
- Meeting new people
Being a driving instructor means you interact with different people every day. So, if you work well with others and love being around people, then this may just be your dream job. You’ll also get to meet people from various backgrounds, of different ages, and with different driving skills. This means your lessons will never be dull.
You can also use your social skills to boost your instructional ability. When you can be more open and light-hearted with your students, they’ll usually do much better than if you’re cold. Learning to drive can be daunting, and having a friendly, patient instructor can make all the difference.
Cons of becoming a driving instructor
- You’re typically self-employed
Being a driving instructor gives you a lot of freedom, but if you don’t know how to manage your time, being self-employed can be a learning curve. Of course, you won’t earn a set salary unless you manage your time and clients wisely. This means that there may be a little uncertainty about how much you’re earning every month.
Still, if you work out a schedule for yourself and secure a set number of bookings every month, your salary will be just as consistent as with any other job. Plus, you don’t have a cap on how much you can earn or your hourly rate. If you have a week or two where you want to work longer to earn more, you can.
As a driving instructor, you have the option to work either independently or under a driving school. If you choose to work within a driving school franchise, such as Bill Plant Driving School, you receive all the support you need to set yourself up for self-employed success.
- You’re constantly in the car
As a driving instructor, the car will become a combined second home and office space. When you have back-to-back lessons, sitting in the car for extended periods means getting in your daily exercise routine can be a bit of a challenge.
However, you probably wouldn’t be thinking about becoming a driving instructor if you weren’t really passionate about driving, and when you’re working for yourself, you can plan breaks and downtime if and when you need it. Choosing the right tuition car can also go a long way to make your office space comfortable.
- Lessons can be challenging
Driving lessons can become challenging, especially given every pupil is unique and learns in a different way. Patience and perseverance are incredibly important to instil confidence in your students. These traits are key to success in terms of reaching your potential as a driving instructor.
When you master your professional skills, sharing them with others is fun and rewarding. Although you may feel like driving lessons can sometimes be difficult, they don’t have to be. Interacting with different learners in each lesson helps to gain experience.
- Competition
Because of the high demand for driving instructors, there is bound to be some strong competition. If you build a good reputation you won’t have to worry about your students looking elsewhere for an instructor.
Word of mouth is also a powerful marketing strategy. By pouring all of your efforts and passion into your career, you’ll reap the rewards. When you have a positive impact on your students, they’ll naturally recommend you to their friends and family.
Consider signing up with Bill Plant Driving School
If you’re ready to go ahead and jumpstart your career, Bill Plant Driving School has got you covered. We offer trainee instructors a range of driving instructor training course options that guarantees you future success as a professional instructor.
Bill Plant Driving School is a reputable and well-respected company with years of training experience. Our training school offers comprehensive courses and gives trainees everything they need to pass their tests with flying colours.
FAQs
Is becoming a driving instructor worth it?
Becoming a driving instructor is worth it if you have set goals in mind. When you become an instructor, you’ll need to manage your time wisely and ensure that your availability coincides with the demand of your students.
You can have a rewarding and fulfilling career as an instructor if you have a passion for teaching others and you can navigate challenging situations with ease.
Can you make a living as a driving instructor?
You can easily make a living as a driving instructor. If you set realistic goals and manage your schedule, you can earn a consistent and competitive wage. Of course, the amount of money you make will depend on your availability, the demand for lessons in your area, and your reputation as a passionate, helpful, and friendly instructor.
How stressful is being a driving instructor?
Being a driving instructor can be stressful at times, but how you handle that stress makes all the difference. It’s important to remember that as an instructor, you may deal with nervous or difficult students and long hours on the road. As the instructor, you’ll also need to be extra alert to ensure you and your students are safe on the road.
Outside of the car, you’ll also have to think about the competition with other instructors and how you want to market yourself, which can be tricky.
Becoming a driving instructor will be rewarding and relatively straightforward if you think you can handle these challenges.
Become a driving instructor with Bill Plant Driving School
With this list of pros and cons of becoming a driving instructor, the choice is entirely up to you. Owning your schedule and helping others to succeed has plenty of appeal. So, what are you waiting for? Be sure to sign up for a Bill Plant Driving School training course today so you can start your new career path.
Our award-winning trainers work hard to make our courses as straightforward as possible, so all you need to bring to the table is your tenacity and a great attitude.
