Heya my name is Sarah 

 On the 3rd May 2011 I passed my driving test with 5star. My instructor was Jason and he was really helpfull. However it wasnt always like that. I found Jason through a friend at my college after my previous instructor bailed on me  
Jason was recommened as he was helpfull and actually listened to me when I need help.

I was so nervous for my first lesson, but at $14.99 for the first two hour session, I thought I would give it a try. Jason came and collected me from my home and drove me round the corner. He then sat with me and listened to me about my experience at driving. He could tell I was really nervous, but he made me feel comfortable. I explained to him that my previous instructor used to shout at me alot, which had caused me to become scared of driving.

To cut a long story short, from that moment on Jason taught me to be confident at the wheel. It was patient with me throughout, and we even had a laugh whilst doing so.

I would recommend (and I have done) to everyone and anyone. All of my friends are now learning with them and I can honestly say that you won't find a better place to learn.

We've all seen the adverts on tv by a certain large national training company promising that anyone can become a driving instructor and earn upto £30k a year with a company car. So is this really the case? Can anyone become a driving instructor and can you really earn £30K a year by working the hours you use?

Well, unfortunately not. Being a driving instructor is a very rewarding job but the hours can be unsociable working evenings and weekends which isnt for everyone. Be wary of anyone promising a company car as the majority of instructors (if not all) are self employed so the car you either have to buy or lease (both of which incur a cost to you) 

As for the  instructor training, this is a 3 stage program and how long it takes you to complete varies from person to person. You will see some training organisations claiming that you can be an instructor within 12weeks, and whilst this maybe possible in extreme cases it is not the norm. Realistically you can expect your training to take atleast 6-9months minimum and most cases even longer than that. There is an option to teach on a trainee licence but this is for you to gain experience before taking your final instructor exam.

You also need to look at who's going to be training you. Is it a training organisation who have salesmen on commission to sell training packages to as many people as possible even if they are not suitable or have the potential skills to train as a driving instructor.

This blog isnt meant to answer all your questions on training to be a driving instructor, just to make you think a bit more about the questions you should be asking and the answers you get.

If you would like to find out more then we will be happy to advise you further.

Regards

Russell 

5 Star Driving Academy are working in partnership with a new local school in Wolverhampton.

Mrs Kay Stokes of Moreton School has employed our services to deliver i-Drive, the young driver education program to key stage 5 Students. This 5 week course will help the students of Moreton School become safer learner drivers in wolverhampton.  Our experienced facilitators will be teaching the students how to apply for a licence, giving them practice at taking a theory test and encouraging the students to be safe and courteous on the roads. The students that successfully complete all modules will be awarded with a diploma and a free 1hr driving lesson!

This is another great achievement for both ourselves at 5 Star Driving Academy and Moreton School. If there are any other schools across the West Midlands who would like to offer their students this forward thinking innovative program then contact us

Keep watching this blog for more interesting news and advice for you all on passing your driving test.

Have a great time driving!

Regards

Russell