I wouldn't bother, Blue. You seem bright enough - from your postings - to get a good degree. You won't get that if you're working 23 hours per week taking huns (as I believe flying instructors used to call their pupils during the First World War) round.
Anything less than a 2:1 from a half-decent university isn't worth having. If you're not going to get that (and daddy isn't contributing handsomely to a 3-year holiday - in which case, go & enjoy it) I wouldn't bother going to university.
Are you old enough to teach people to drive? Don't you have to be 21? (Maybe you are?)
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Thanks everyone for the replies.
Mapmaker, yes, I just turned 21 last month, I have to pay my own way through uni unfortunately, although I can't complain as I do live for free at home and am fortunate enough to have a half-decent uni on my doorstep (Sunderland).
Tom, thanks for the words of warning, I hope I'm reading into the meaning of your post correctly ;-) Fortunate;y the hours really aren't of any concern to me, I will be working 12 hour shifts at weekends and then some evenings if I stick with the call centre route in a bid to stay afloat, so working until 10pm doesn't daunt me.
I think you've got it spot on with the pricing advice, I setup a spreadsheet to try and predict what the incomes and outgoings would be and with the level of work that I would be doing versus my fixed costs, it is incredibly price sensitive, literally a difference of £2 per hour makes a difference between me being very comfortable and totally destitute! This also worries me as I couldn't help but notice that if I have a lean week (as I'm sure I will) I will have very little income left after my fixed costs.
Helicopter - Insurance would be a nightmare, but it is a cost that I have allowed for, at the moment I drive group 12 under my own personal insurance and it is really expensive, I know that insuring a sporty car for learner use would cost a fortune, but I think it would pay for itself in the amount of custom it could put my way. Like I say, my old instructor used an MX5, he paid a lot for the insurance but didn't advertise anywhere and was flooded with business, to this day he still doesn't even have a listing in the phone book! His MX5 was an L reg, so hardly a stunning vehicle in the grand scheme of things, but it stood out from the crowd of Corsas and Micras, especially to a 17 year old dying to get behind the wheel!
Davey - I have considered the check test, this is the one problem that I haven't thought of a way to overcome yet, short of swapping my insurance over onto my parent's Nissan Micra for the day and whacking some "L" plates on it, but then it wouldn't have dual controls. Of course the other option is to get something flashy with four seats, unfortunately the New Tigra is 2 seater or else that would be my preference, it's also relatively light on insurance.
As far as the tests are concerned, I do have some flexibility to work through weekdays, so tests shouldn't be a diaster area, but I have to admit that generally they would be restricted to Wednesdays (uni day off), weekends, or if I'm desperate, gaps in my working day. I know that it's not a perfect setup.
So, taking all the above into account, I think it's worth letting this idea pass me by, I've got a chat already arranged with someone from Lets Drive (instructor school and also an SOM) tommorow morning, I'll still go along and see what they have to say, but I think I'll be more sceptical now than I was before.
Thanks, will keep you posted if they say anything interesting.
Blue
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I know of several instructors who only work part time because they do instructing around other jobs and family committments. What they earn covers their vehicle costs/franchise fees and gives them a small wage at the end of the day so they are not out of pocket. There are several instructors in my area who say they are broke, cannot get pupils etc. but others are overwhelmed with business and have long waiting lists. Kids tend to go with the same instructors their friends used - being good at your job and building up a good reputation goes a long way.
As for Lets Drive - they are part of the Instructor College and thats where they will send you for your training. There are several other big name schools who do the same. If you do go ahead, bear in mind if you train with a local SOM you are likely to be able to take lessons at times which suit you more and as many as you require. With the instructor college you are restricted to daytime hours, could have to wait several weeks before the next session is available and additional training sessions are difficult if not impossible to arrange.
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"Anything less than a 2:1 from a half-decent university isn't worth having. If you're not going to get that (and daddy isn't contributing handsomely to a 3-year holiday - in which case, go & enjoy it) I wouldn't bother going to university."
What a load of old carp. Myself and many of my friends left 'poor' universities with 2:2's - has made no difference to my career progression, or many of my peers. It's about who you know, and how good you are at writing a CV and blagging interviews. Having a good degree does not necessarily make you a good employee.
Blue, suggest you take the easy option of the call centre. It's easy work (sometimes stressful admittefly depending on what you're doing), it will be regular work and there will be no outlay to recover. Add to the hassle of running your own business and all the paper work that goes with it, it really is more work than you need in your life - especially if you are in your final year.
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Actually, embarassingly enough I'm just starting this year, I picked the wrong course first time around and then made a (well documented on this board) bad career move to fill the gap between courses, which ended up keeping me out of education for 2 years instead of 1. I got everything sorted out employment wise, I'm now working appropriate part time hours, and made my fresh application to start this September, just in time to avoid top-up fees! :-)
Blue
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>>>What a load of old carp. Myself and many of my friends left 'poor' universities with 2:2's - has made no difference to my career progression, or many of my peers. It's about who you know, and how good you are at writing a CV and blagging interviews. Having a good degree does not necessarily make you a good employee.
<<<<
Never a truer word spoken. While anything other than a 1st class honours from a top tier uni will likely keep you out of some of the top consultancy and accountancy firms _as a graduate entrant_, get a few years in some other place learning to promote yourself, look good, schmooze and play the game, and the world will be your oyster.
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Conversely, a 2.1 from a top university and take your foot off the pedal and you end up like me, with no profession to speak of, drifting from job to job and having difficulty getting arrested at the moment... but this is hardly motoring, is it?
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Tom - I have asked Mark to forward an e-mail to you as your profile is hidden, hope you can help!
Blue
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By the way, about the spreadsheet that I attached, ignore the figures on the Lets Drive sheet, I never really finished them.
Blue
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No probs Blue, soon as I get it I'll reply. I can't get your email address as my pc appears to treat profile windows as pop up's and blocks them.
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No probs, wasn't expecting you to be on at this time of night, it's just a spreadsheet of what I think my predicted costs would be. Thought you might be able to see if you thought they are realistic or not.
After doing a little bit of digging in the local area it seems that most schools have a two week waiting list before taking people on and the going rate is at least £15 per hour after the first free lesson that many people offer.
That info, coupled with the offer of a nice cheap MG TF has got me tempted, it's either that or something a bit cheaper to buy and insure, like an MG ZR that would probably end up getting my business. It strikes me as the quickest way to build up my diary in a hurry.
Thinking about it, as well as being cheaper the ZR is also a four seater so saves me the trouble of finding a car for a day when I would need to do a check test.
Blue
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£15 per hour is cheap, you will not make a good living on that. BSM are probably nearer twenty, so I would be looking at £17 at least. People will pay if they believe the service you are offering is worth it. A surprising number of people are actually suspicious if something seems too cheap. The worst thing you can do is offer a free first lesson. Been there, done that, and believe me you will end up with a lot of people who will disappear after that lesson! You will also end up with the something for nothing bargain hunters who will mess you about and go somewhere else eventually.
The only discount I offered was a free lesson if they paid for ten in advance, helped the cash flow enormously and tended to bring in a more commited customer who would last the distance. You could also persuade them to have two lessons a week, so pay day came round fairly quickly again. Always remember, your first aim is to earn a living.
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£15 per hour is cheap, you will not make a good living on that. BSM are probably nearer twenty, so I would be looking at £17 at least. People will pay if they believe the service you are offering is worth it.
You read my mind there, £17 is the exact figure that I've used on my forecasts :-)
Blue
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I did forward your e-mail, btw.
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Thanks Mark, much appreciated.
Blue
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Don't know your location, but here in S Oxfordshire I pay £21/hr cash (£22 chq) for daughter #1, and others charge up to £23.50
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I'm in the North East, Sunderland to be precise. I doubt if they cost quite that much here except with the national schools. I'm gonna do a bit more research today and am going to see my old driving instructor to see if he's willing to share any of his wisdom!
A girl I work with was telling me that her boyfriend is learning and they rang everyone in the local area and couldn't find anyone who charged less than £15 per hour and everyone had a two week waiting list to get in the diary.
Positive news really :-)
Blue
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