You've decided to take the 'plunge' and want to train as a driving instructor.

Read Part 1 - Choosing a trainer

Here's some more advice on who to go with:

1. Don't pay up front for training with a trainer you have never met before - ask to meet the trainers. Most establishments are happy for you to do this

 

2. Don't pay for training if they cannot guarantee you will have the same one or two trainers throughout, especially if you get on well with your current trainer

 

3. Don't be concerned if you are told the discount only applies on the day - there are loads of places to train - remember the timeshare sales?? Watch out for gimmicks

 

4. Always ask for a copy of the contract and the terms and conditions before you sign and ask your solicitor to read it - you may be supervised at what they promise and what the terms and conditions actually say -- its no good moaning that you have to wait 6 months for the next training session when you were verbally told you could fast track if the terms and conditions don't actually state the time limits etc -- after all you signed it --- did you not??

 

5. Contact many training establishments and do your research - would you buy a car for £4K without taking it for a test drive??? I am sure you would not.

 

6. Don't believe all the hype - if the training establishment was as brilliant as they say they are, the Part 3 pass rate would be higher than 30%

 

7. Very important - ask your potential training school if you can sit in the back on a real learner's driving lesson and see if the job is one you could actually do and of course want to

 

8. If some of the companies keep calling you to see if you want to train with them on a daily basis - beware - it smacks of desperation - to get more money in

 

9. Don't believe all the hype if we were all taking home £30K a year I would have more than one holiday in 24 months

 

10. Watch out for the loan agreements especially the interest free for 12 months etc - I recently had a PDI (at my training school, who had signed a loan agreement without realising that the interest was applied after 12 months at a rate of 29% if she did not pay it off in the first 11 months 28 days YIKES - and more importantly what happens if you fail 3 times?? who is going to pay off the loan then??

 

11. Ask yourself why you want to become an ADI - If you want to teach people to drive this may not be enough - If you want to learn how to teach/coach well and understand how to teach pupils on an individual basis and are prepared to learn and research to do your job then do it to find a trainer and get a great start.

 

12. None of my PDI's ever pay me for the part 1 - its easy to do by yourself and encourages you to start researching on your own and improving and it will test you to see if you can actually study without constant support.

 

13. If you get a pay-as-you-go trainer you can change at any time to suit yourself - Ok you want to pay up front BUT get a couple of sessions with the trainer first to see if you are suited together

 

14. Ask questions -Ask for references - Ask how many people will be in the car - Ask what type of Part 2 and Part 3 training is carried out and - Ask> again anything you can think of

 

15. Remember if you had £3/4K in your hand and had to buy a new kitchen would you shop around or buy the first one cos the salesman got you to sign on the day ?? Treat this as a business deal not as anything else or you could end up a bit poorer and a lot more stressed out
16. Ask them if any of their trainers are ORDIT registered? ORDIT trainers have to undergo strict assessment of the way they deliver their training. If you're not satisfied with your training with them, you have some comeback with the DSA. Although its not essential to seek out an Ordit trainer, there are many non-ordit trainers that can give an equally good service.

Contribution by Jeni (ORDIT trainer) at Absolutely Fabulous Driving School