Case Studies

Around a year ago now I decided to make the Call to RED Driving School and now I’m a working trainee Driving Instructor and I sit my final exam soon, I’ve enjoyed every minute. In a previous life I was a Marketing Consultant in the Drinks Industry however I needed a change and becoming a Driving Instructor felt like something new and exciting.

I chose RED Driving School because it’s such a well known brand and I’d seen a lot of RED’s advertising. I also really liked that they let me plan my own diary so I’m in control of my own working hours, as a single parent this is very convenient.

It still feels a bit odd not going to the office on a morning, I almost feel like I’m skiving off work!

The position of being a Driving Instructor itself is actually a very rewarding one, and each pupil is different! I’ve gone from a job that had little scope within each week to one that changes by the hour sometimes.
I get to work with people of all ages and backgrounds and we take a real journey together, they start out as passengers and finish as independent and mature drivers.

It’s really great to see pupils grow in confidence day after day and it’s a nice feeling knowing your pupils are better drivers than a lot of experienced drivers out there.

Pupils should choose RED Driving School for their driving lessons because they’ll teach you the skills to be a safe and confident driver, and you’ll have fun in the process. I chose RED Driving School and I’ve never looked back.

Glasgow-based, Gordon Ayre loves his job. You’ll rarely find someone so driven in their career as he is.
With the desire to find a more rewarding career, he took the decision to retrain as a driving instructor and ranks it as one of the best decisions he’s ever made.
Now firmly in the driving seat with RED Driving School, Gordon spends his days teaching people a life skill, transferring his knowledge of the rules and principles involved in driving safely on today’s roads to the next generation of road users.
Gordon, 43, studied marine electronics and telecommunication engineering at college but never truly enjoyed it. A further stint in the security industry made him think about his options for a more fulfilling work life. And so the decision was made, to become a driving instructor.
After investing in his training with RED Instructor Training (formerly The Instructor College) and studying hard, Gordon embarked on his driving instruction ambition. Three years on and he’s still beaming about his decision.
Gordon says: “I love the everyday challenge of teaching someone such a valuable skill – life changing even – learning to drive. Seeing someone improve and being with them every step of the way, through their highs and their lows to that amazing moment when they pass their test is brilliant.”
Another attractive side of the job is being your own boss, as Gordon explains:
“A typical day for most driving instructors does not exist. A typical day is what you want it to be. You can start when you want, finish when you want and take a day off when you want as long as you earn what you need and ensure you’re flexible to your pupils needs.”
As a driving instructor, you are working closely with other people every day, so interpersonal skills are a must. Each learner driver is different, therefore you need to be able to adapt your style and way of teaching to ensure each pupil gets the most out of each lesson and enjoys the experience.
Gordon continues: “The main thing to remember is this is a career choice, therefore make sure it is what you really want to do because your commitment is the key to your success.”

I have been a driving instructor for ten years now, and have recently joined RED Driving School as one of its franchised driving instructors.

When I first contacted RED I was introduced to the man who would become my dedicated business support manager, Pete, who talked me through the various franchise packages on offer and what life would be like working as a RED Driving School instructor.

I was previously a franchisee with BSM and was shocked to learn that the franchise fee I had been paying them for so many years was double that of RED!

I chose RED because of personal recommendations I had received, the franchise package, the eye-catching branding and the fleet, the Vauxhall Corsa, which I believe is a good car to teach in.

Everything has been organised with the highest level of service you could ask for – Pete organised the delivery of the car for the date I wanted to start, he offered me advice on planning my diary, and helped with my pupil introductions. I can honestly say it has been a pleasure working with RED and I would definitely recommend RED to other instructors.

I feel very lucky to be able to say, ‘I love my job’. I love that each day is different, that I meet a variety of different people and that I am teaching people a skill for life.

When one of my students passes and I see that look in their eyes, may it be young or old, it brings me great joy in knowing I have taught that person such a valuable and life-changing skill. It is without a doubt the most satisfying job I have ever had.

After years working as a delivery driver I felt I needed to make a change. Throughout my life I had always really enjoyed training others and teaching people new skills, becoming a Driving Instructor was a way I could do this full-time!

Since making the call, everything’s changed! I found the course very interesting and fun and before I knew it I was a fully qualified ADI (Approved Driving Instructor).

As soon as I passed I met up with Alan from RED Driving School and I was struck by what a genuine and honest guy he was. Alan secured me a place with RED Driving School and is now my personal support manager, he’s been really helpful.

It’s now one year down the line, I’m still a Driving Instructor, I’m still with RED Driving School. They provide my with a striking RED Driving School car, full call centre support and all the marketing support I need. I’ve never had any reason to look elsewhere; they take good care of me. Now I’m getting great job satisfaction and I’m changing people’s lives.

I remember the first pupil I took from being a complete beginner right through to passing; I think I was happier than he was!

Becoming a Driving Instructor has completely changed my life. I don’t have to get up at 4am anymore; I arrange my life around what’s best for me and my family and I do my job with a smile on my face.

For a Driving Instructor no two days are alike. Helping people achieve an important goal in their lives and sharing in their happiness when it finally happens is the best part of the job. As well as the job satisfaction, I enjoy the flexibility, the independence and just getting out and about. 

It’s a bit daunting to be self-employed for the first time but with the support on offer from RED, help is never too far away. 

Occasionally I call into my old job to see my friends. The pressure they experience just confirms that becoming a Driving Instructor was a change in the right direction. I never look back, my only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner!

I’ve been a Driving Instructor for over a year now and I’m really enjoying it. I trained with RED Instructor Training, the course was very flexible and easy to follow and I was able to do it around my old job.

As soon as I passed I was offered a place in RED Driving School it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down. I’m glad I made that choice; they’ve really taken care of me. Now I’m working better hours, and I’m really happy with what I do!

Being a Driving Instructor is a lot of fun. I have always loved helping people and showing people something new and this is a great way to do exactly that. There’s no better feeling than being on a journey with a pupil who started out really struggling and seeing them make it in the end!

RED Driving School have given me all the help I’ve needed since becoming a driving Instructor and I couldn’t be happier in my new career.

I qualified as a Driving Instructor in July 2008 and was teaching my first pupil by August 2008. I was looking for an occupation where I could remain self-employed and in control of my own hours, when I heard about RED Instructor Training, it seemed like the perfect option.

The training itself was great fun and I had an excellent time with my instructor who made the experience interesting and fun but always kept me focused on the goal. And it worked; I passed all three parts first time!

My experience with RED Driving School has been great. I did look at other Driving Schools however I really liked all the benefits that the RED Driving School franchise offered. I get excellent support from the call centre, from my personal support manager and I get the ‘funky’ RED Driving School image that pupils love.

The job itself is fun too! I have always enjoyed working face to face with people and there’s nothing better than taking someone out on that first lesson and seeing the smile on their face as they go from complete novice, to being able to pull up on their own drive! It’s as good as it gets – total job satisfaction.

I’ve never regretted my choice to contact RED Driving School. Coming from an industry full of stress and working with people I didn’t like, becoming a Driving Instructor has transformed my working life. My whole lifestyle is more relaxed and I am in total control of my time – I love the flexibility!

One thing that has come as a surprise to me is how much becoming a Driving Instructor has made me a part of my local community. Everyone knows who I am and what I do; I’m always being approached for advice, for bookings or sometimes just for a quick chat!

RED Driving School gives you the best possible training, with a great attitude in a safe environment. Oh, and don’t forget the funky look.

I studied History at the University of Leicester and gained my degree in 2004. I then immediately continued into a PGCE course to train to be a primary school teacher. I quickly realised that I adored teaching, but primary school was not the right setting for me. Shortly after, I saw an advert for driving instructor training and realised that that would be the perfect move for me.

This was because my interest and background had revolved around teaching and driving instruction seemed to be the ideal move for me. The teaching was on a one-to-one basis, with pupils who were choosing to be there, and were coming to you to learn a skill for life. Furthermore, it encompassed the two passions in my life, driving and teaching. I wanted to put drivers on the road that would share my passion for driving, but be as responsible and competent as possible.

I chose RED as it seemed fresh and new. Everything felt more attractive about RED;, the image, the car, and the cost. Furthermore, when I contacted RED, I was very impressed with how supportive and helpful they were to me.

This support continued throughout my training. The trainers were constantly on-hand at the College, and were extremely approachable. They offered extra sessions if needed and recommended ‘buddy’ sessions.

There is a great sense of pride you feel in this drivers job when your students achieve, either just lesson by lesson, or when they pass their tests. I enjoy teaching such a valuable practical skill, I enjoy meeting so many different people and I enjoy seeing people develop so literally.

I love my job and would recommend it to anyone to anyone who has a passion for helping people to learn and achieve.

After over 20 years in sales I decided on a complete change of career. I passed Parts 1 and 2 of my training and looked around for a franchise to buy into. After a particularly strong recommendation I decided to go with RED, which represented the best practical and commercial option. 

Sorting out the basic business requirements of bank accounts and insurance etc. was relatively painless. By coincidence RED was running a promotional stand in my local shopping centre around the time I joined. I was asked to man the stand and I jumped at the chance to promote my new business. The results were extremely encouraging, with 90 plus enquiries, of which over 70 were actual booked appointments. 

I’m a few weeks in to the job and thoroughly enjoying it. I have a full diary and I’ve even had my first satisfied customer referrals. There just remains the small obstacle of passing Part 3! 

My training was first class. I was given a combination of one-to-one and two-to-one training, which was ideal. My trainers were polite, professional and generally very good.  

I now run my own business, "Around the Bend", operating throughout the North East. I have seven instructors covering Teesside, Durham, Hartlepool, Darlington, Washington, Sunderland and Gateshead. It sounds a lot but my life is actually less stressful than before. I can take time off when I like and even nip to the shops during the day. Looking back, I would definitely do it all again. I’m a more relaxed person. Although I work hard, I now have time to enjoy family life. 

I definitely wish I’d become a Driving Instructor years ago. I love the freedom of self-employment.  Meeting pupils’ requirements is a priority but having worked 30 odd Christmas' as a Hotel Manager I now take three weeks off!

I chose to train with RED Instructor College because the interview and driving assessment before the training were the most professional I’d been to. 

To be a good instructor you must have an ability to communicate at an appropriate level, stay calm when mistakes are made and remember the pupil is doing their best. If there’s a problem you have to work it out and find an alternative way of instructing. 

I began my training as a driving instructor with RED Instructor Training in July 2007 after completing a degree in Media Studies from the University of Brighton. I wanted a career with prospects, freedom and the independence of being self employed, none of which I could have found in a media related office job.

I found the training fun but also quite challenging. After completing the required 40 hours of training I began work as an instructor on a trainee licence before passing the final test and becoming fully qualified shortly after.

As well as being attracted to the freedom the job offers, I also liked the idea of meeting new people and building up different working relationships. I remember having a lot of fun in my driving lessons with my instructor at the age of 17. I have met so many people of all ages from all different backgrounds and all such excellent characters.

The job is very rewarding as I get to watch people grow and develop new skills and finally to pass the driving test. Sometimes it is sad to say goodbye to students after they pass as often we have spent around 40 hours training together.

A typical day in my life as an instructor starts at 9am. I tend to teach three to four lessons a day, either two hours or one and half hours in length. Sometimes I will pick up students from work or college so that we can fit lessons in. Normally I work six days a week but being self employed if I need a weekend off then it is easy to arrange.

I would definitely recommend this job to anyone thinking of starting the training.

Qualifying is hard work and takes up a lot of time but is really worth it. I would certainly recommend going on the trainee licence as this helped me loads in passing the final test.

Since qualifying I have had a lot of success in the job, met a lot of really great people and also learnt about how to run a business successfully.

In the future I hope to run my own business and maybe even train instructors.

Following a successful career as an Aircraft Designer, I qualified as a driving instructor in Nov 2008, after 11 months of training.
I chose RED Instructor Training as they allowed me to pay a fixed sum to complete the training I required. Knowing how much other local companies were charging per session I believed the price to be very competitive.

As the company had been very true to their word to me I had no hesitation in accepting a franchise to join RED Driving School when it was offered.
Although I had enjoyed my previous career the day-to-day turning up to work doing the same things over and over became a chore. I wanted a change in employment and thought a driving job in instruction would give me just that. I’m now enjoying being my own boss, working my own hours, meeting new people regularly and embarking on different challenges on a daily basis.
As a family man I particularly enjoy the flexibility my driver job offers me. With finish times varying from 4pm to 9pm and regular weekend days off I am able to organise time for family even during the working day.
I find the job very rewarding and gain a huge amount of satisfaction from seeing the joy & excitement on the face of a pupil when they succeed on passing their driving test. Sometimes this is the first time in their life they have passed an exam.
My salary expectations have already been met and there are many career prospects for me with RED including expanding on my business i.e. fleet car training and advanced driver training. The list is endless.
My advice to others thinking of training to be a driving instructor is to have the correct frame of mind every time you attend a training session. Be prepared to accept constructive criticism. If necessary learn how to change your own driving technique and work hard at understanding how to explain new tasks to someone who has never performed such a task.