Evening all,
I was made redundant from my job as a credit risk professional back in February of last year. Obviously, the jobs market for that market is extreeeeemely slow at the moment and it's not a job that I particularly enjoyed - it just paid well.
For the last 11 months or so I've busied myself driving a minibus for a local coach operator that contracts to the local authority for school and social services. Whilst I am enjoying it, it's not a career choice for me, even though I am in the process of acquiring a PCV licence.
I like driving, I like people, and I like to think I have a strong work ethic ? so I've begun to think about training for ADI. My Uncle, who trained 15ish years ago, has not put me off. He has stated it is hard work but on the other hand has strong rewards.
There appear to be two routes ? independently trained or through the likes of AA/BSM. Similarly, once the Part III exam is out of the way, independent or franchise is the choice...
I am after the experiences of Backroomers that have trained to ADI ? good or bad. I am aware there are one or two of you out there and would love to hear from you.
Many thanks in anticipation.
DB
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Sorry to give bad news but now is a bad time as so many people are thinking of becoming an ADI as they have lost their jobs, so there will be an increase of supply. The second problem is that there will be a lack of demand as people generally don;t have lessons if they are skint.
Also so many companies promise the world, take the cash of you but pass. I think the pass rate is 1 in 10 or something stupid.
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Always was a bad time. Never enough money in this.
They make money training you... you are not guaranteed any work.
Think of something else?
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I've done it, still have a full ADI licence but work as a manager in a call centre by choice.
The first trainer that I went with took my money and then became almost unreachable by phone, right up to the point that I had to track him down to his home. I got up to Part 2 qualification with him before giving in and going with another independant operator who was excellent.
Once I was fully qualified I started out on my own with a lot of support from my old driving instructor but found it to be nowhere near worth the hassle, pupils wanted lessons at a wide variety of times that impinged massively on my personal time, my car took a pounding despite my best efforts to protect it.
In order to attract customers I was working for about £15 per hour, off this I had to take tax, fuel, wear and tear, insurance, advertising.
It's not worth it, I earn nearly as much per hour now but I get sick pay, paid holidays, only work a 37 hour week and I have a steady income that doesn't go up and down. In my opinion it may be worth it if you are an established instructor but knowing what I know now I certainly wouldn't try to start out from scratch.
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Dieselboy - before going any further work out how many lessons you need to do to cover your living expenses. £20-25 per hour seems to be about the going rate.
33% should be put aside to cover your tax, NI, pension etc, then running costs of vehicle need to be taken off - car buying guides give figures. 30-40p per mile shouldn't be far off for something like a Fiesta. 30,000 miles a year is to be expected, 500 lessons or at least ten a week just to pay for your car.
Then your living expenses - mortgage, house insurances etc etc. need to be paid for.
My dad has done OK over the last 20 years, but for all of this he has had no mortgage and no children to pay for. Busiest years he was doing about 55 lessons a week. He is slowly retiring and is down to about 8 pupils, once these pass he's finished.
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I did it for twenty years and made a reasonable living, but no kids and SWMBO was also an ADI for most of that time.
A recession is the worst possible time to get into the business, as Rattle has said there are loads of people with their redundancy payments burning a hole in their pockets all thinking of doing the same thing, and not only do people have less money to pay for lessons but we are in a demographic blip at the moment with fewer teenagers around.
There are better ways to earn a living, the job is all about unsocial hours and having to mother unreliable pupils with two left feet, pasta for brains and completely unrealistic expectations about passing after ten lessons or so (impossible now).
Look for a trade where there is a shortage of tradesmen. Locksmith is a good one, you can't get one for love nor money, they charge a fortune and people who have locked themselves in or out have no choice but to pay.
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