Is becoming a driving instructor a realistic job?

[kpinsiff]

I've seen these adverts on the telly and in newspapers. Become a driving instructor and get a guaranteed job after training. However I'd have to pay for training myself so are these just a scam to get you to have expensive driving lessons with them? How do they guarantee work? They say you can earn up to 30k pa which sounds great but if so many people are learning to become driving instructors then surely there won't be enough learner drivers to go round? I'm tempted but I'm sceptical.

[andy-hughes]

It's like any other 'people skill' job - if there is a demand in your area, and you are good, you will get work.

You have to put in a lot of hours to make a decent living, but plenty of people manage it.

If you are not sure, why not sign up with BSM, then you are covered by an umbrella organisation - you can always 'go solo' when you see if you like the job, and could be successful at it.

[WoWo]

It's not a scam as such but what they don't say is this "guarantee" of a job is in fact just a franchise, which you will have to pay for.

You could earn �30k, you could earn much more than that, but you would be working all hours god sends to do it.

One of my ex-girlfriends had always dreamed of being a driving instructor, but the reality of the job was not what it seemed and she gave it up after a year or two. The biggest problem is that you have to source your own pupils and do your own marketing. If you are part of a franchise all you are getting out of it is the name nothing more, so while it's possible to earn the money it is very hard work.

[mrs_overall]

My friend's husband works for a very well known driving school, under a franchise.
When he worked out all his expenses he discovered he was only earning �7 an hour.

[lesblue]

As mrs_overall quite rightly states, working for a driving school under a franchise can be very poorly paid. My friend has started his own driving school after working for BSM for 18 months, and seems to be doing OK now. I don't think I'd have the patience, no matter how good the pay was!!

[buildersmate]

All good advice in the above.
Work it out for yourself - phone around a few schools and ask their hourly rate. Factor that you might perhaps 30 paid for hours in each week - many at split shifts or unsocial times. Then work out how much running the car costs.
�30k sounds great but it is gross - you need to take all your running costs off that.
I'll be prepared to wager that most instructors take home less than �20k.

[kpinsiff]

Thanks for all your answers. It did sound a bit too good to be true. I looked on Red and they charge �150 per week for the franchise regardless of whether you are on holiday or not so I'd have to do very long days to make it worthwhile. I'll give it a miss.

[Richardp12345]

You can earn good money. I run Cambridge Driving School and the franchise for our instructors is £85 per week. At £23 per hour, a little over 3 and a half hours of driving lessons covers the franchise. That could be covered on a Saturday morning. The rest of the week you can easily earn £100 - £150 per day. Avoid the schools such as BSM as their franchise can be a massive £300+ per week.
Look for an independant driving school who does not charge too much and has no contact. Media URL: http://www.cambridgedrivingschool.net
Description: Driving School