PDI? think!    

 DO THE MATHS!   You are probably used to that expression.

This page is dedicated to all those people who think that they can earn large amounts of money working as a driving instructor.

Around £30,000 pa.  That sounds like a nice little earner, (as Arthur Daley might have said).

In order to earn that amount or more as a wage before tax, you would need to turn over  £37,000 to £45,000 per year, assuming that you wanted to take two weeks annual holiday. This would mean earning around £800 to £900 per week. (The £37,000 figure is only viable if you have paid for your car already). You will also be self employed, so you have to make provision for accountancy and book keeping.

At an average lesson price of say, £20 to £22 per hour, you would have to sell around 37 to 45 hours paid tuition per week, plus allow for your travelling time.(if you work as an independent). That is not as easy as it sounds, because you will get times when even your most regular and reliable pupils don't turn up for lessons. Also if you go independent you have to sell your own services, to fill your own calendar and there is a lot of competition out there. Remember you have to pay for a vehicle,(plus possibly loan interest on that as well as depreciation), fuel, maintainance, road tax, insurance, tyres,stationary, phone line,advertising,(potentially) uninsured damage,etc. Remember also you don't get paid for travelling between pupils and at an average of 2 to2.5 litres of fuel per paid hour the fuel cost can be quite a lot.

If you work as a franchisee then you would need to earn considerably more, I used to work as a franchisee and was paying £300 plus per week for use of car and booking facilities, you normally pay this whether you work or not! Also remember YOU pay for the fuel, that is not supplied with the franchise.

Work your own flexible hours.

That sounds good does'nt it?  but make sure you are working your flexible hours and not someone elses. Remember, pupils won't always be available when you want to take them as they have their own commitments, you might have to fit your life around theirs , not the other way around. Also you don't normally charge for the failed appointment if they late cancel through illness, so that fee is lost and if you charge for a failed appointment in normal circumstances you might risk losing that pupil in any case.

Remember also.  Your training to become an instructor can cost anything up to and over £3,000.  Some training bodies will appear to offer guaranteed pass of DSA instructor tests, believe me there is no such thing as they don't take the qualifying examinations, you do! What they usually guarantee is that they will continue training you until and IF you pass!  Remember if you pass all of your tests and qualify you are still bound to take regular check tests to ensure that you are fit to stay on the register.

By the way not "Anyone" can become a driving instructor, as one tag line used to promise, you have to have a criminal records check to ensure that you are and remain as a "fit and proper person", also you must be over 21 yrs of age and have held continuously a valid full UK driving licence for 3.5 yrs when you begin your training, the licence must not have too many penalty points on it, and if you are, at a later date,disqualified from driving you will lose your entitlement to teach.   

Not all prospective driving instructors pass the DSA examinations and qualify, there are a large proportion who never get to become instructors, (the DSA have the figures). If you are still convinced by the ads then GOOD LUCK!