ADUK Archive

strangely enough, this is on a truckers forum !!!

ADI discussion

maybe a few from here would like to make comments on what has been mentioned in the thread.....

I would agree with most of what was said on the thread, Those larger training companies that are currently advertising make 30 grand a year etc talk absolute rubbish, all this does is tempt the wrong type of people into the driver training industry who are after making a quick easy buck who don't careless about driving and have no passion about improving standards. These companies are destroying the industry through the ruthless advertising that is constantly shoved in your face every time the tv is switched on hoping to entice another victim to spend their redundancy money in the current economic climate. It's about time the lid was lifted on these bandits and the fraud exposed for everyone to see!

Interesting discussion Rog,

I agree with the comments made on the truckers forum. With unemployment rising, more will be tempted by the promise of high earnings, flexibilty, and being ones own boss.

In seven years as an ADI I have never had more than 27hrs work in one week. When you factor in travelling between lessons, you are still only up to about 35hrs. Then you get seasonal variations. On the approach to Christmas, work drops off quite dramatically. Then you never know if the pupil is going to be hung over when you get there. This has happened to me on more than one occasion.

Although I enjoy my work, the last two winters have been poor, and I have had to dig into capital to keep going. Work is picking up now, but back in December I was considering a change. I just hope things don't deteriorate further as I only have a few years until I retire, although I would still like to work part time.

Nigel ADI
IAM trainee observer

I'm not quite ready for retirement yet but I have been having a look around to see what I can do on a part time basis to just boost the pension and keep myself occupied when not doing all the other things I've promised myself I'm going to find time for when I retire....and being a driving instructor was one of them. Fortunately I've a couple of friends who have just tried to go through the process and it certainly didn't turn out to be the dream job they had hoped for. I've gone for the LGV route instead and have just done my C, now waiting for the C&E test.......
Strangely enough my wife is quite keen on the LGV occupation, she has visions of joining me whilst trucking all over Europe......

daz6215 wrote:I would agree with most of what was said on the thread, Those larger training companies that are currently advertising make 30 grand a year etc talk absolute rubbish,

Are they? How would you advertise something? Highlight teh bad points? These companies have a poduct which they want to sell. Is it that hard to bring in 30k? 6 lessons @ £20 per day = £120 per day. £120 x 5 = £600 per week. 600 x 50 = £30,000.

daz6215 wrote: all this does is tempt the wrong type of people into the driver training industry who are after making a quick easy buck who don't careless about driving and have no passion about improving standards.

How many of these will actually get through all 3 parts and actually start teaching?

daz6215 wrote:These companies are destroying the industry through the ruthless advertising that is constantly shoved in your face every time the tv is switched on hoping to entice another victim to spend their redundancy money in the current economic climate. It's about time the lid was lifted on these bandits and the fraud exposed for everyone to see!

Whoa! Where's the fraud?

Nigel

adiNigel wrote:Are they? How would you advertise something? Highlight teh bad points? These companies have a poduct which they want to sell. Is it that hard to bring in 30k? 6 lessons @ £20 per day = £120 per day. £120 x 5 = £600 per week. 600 x 50 = £30,000.

I'd often seen these adverts and wondered if that was how they calculated it, or whether the 30k was equivalent to a salaried position where it was on top of all car purchase and running costs and any "fees" if you opt to run as a franchise?

Chris

adiNigel wrote:Where's the fraud?

It might not be fraud but I'm sure more than a few are misled by the thought that a £30k salary is easy to achieve whereas using your figures, a £30k turnover might be possible if learner driver training wasn't so seasonal.

Gareth wrote:

adiNigel wrote:Where's the fraud?

It might not be fraud but I'm sure more than a few are misled by the thought that a £30k salary is easy to achieve whereas using your figures, a £30k turnover might be possible if learner driver training wasn't so seasonal.

Although I don't think it's so different from the government adverts that claim at 35k salary is typical for teachers or the IT training companies claiming (IIRC) 37k.

adiNigel wrote:

daz6215 wrote:I would agree with most of what was said on the thread, Those larger training companies that are currently advertising make 30 grand a year etc talk absolute rubbish,

Are they? How would you advertise something? Highlight teh bad points? These companies have a poduct which they want to sell. Is it that hard to bring in 30k? 6 lessons @ £20 per day = £120 per day. £120 x 5 = £600 per week. 600 x 50 = £30,000.

daz6215 wrote: all this does is tempt the wrong type of people into the driver training industry who are after making a quick easy buck who don't careless about driving and have no passion about improving standards.

How many of these will actually get through all 3 parts and actually start teaching?

daz6215 wrote:These companies are destroying the industry through the ruthless advertising that is constantly shoved in your face every time the tv is switched on hoping to entice another victim to spend their redundancy money in the current economic climate. It's about time the lid was lifted on these bandits and the fraud exposed for everyone to see!

Whoa! Where's the fraud?

Nigel

Allot of factors will determine the 30K but i can assure anyone who reads this that the vast majority of instructors make no where near 30k per year because most cant manage to fill their diaries on a regular basis, yes on paper its a sinch but reality is a different thing , factor in geographical location, travelling time , fuel, cancellations etc and that illusive 30K gets harder to reach, as for it being fraudulent ,well maybe thats harsh but its certainly misleading.

When advertising employed positions employers are not allowed to advertised possible earnings. They are restricted to actual earnings of those doing the job.

It might be worth mentioning these adverts to the ASA and suggest they are misleading if £30 isn't a realistic figure.