What our trainee instructors say

I first came across Driving-Pro when my youngest daughter wanted driving lessons. Talking
to her instructor, Gav, it piqued my interest in making the career change to a fully qualified
Driving Instructor (ADI). Gav passed my details to Liam and I very quickly found myself in
talks with Liam about what to expect and what would be involved to become fully trained.
So, I embarked on the journey with my eyes fully open to the process.

From that first meeting with Liam, I have been fully supported by the whole team at Driving-
Pro. Liam walked me through the registration process, my Part 1 Theory Test, he assessed
and corrected my own driving to enable me to take and pass my Part 2 Practical Driving Test
first time and then handed me over to Mark for one-on-one in-car instruction on how to
teach driving. This was a very intense and mentally exhausting part of the process, but Mark
made it fun and had such a wealth of knowledge to dip in to. Throughout these first 4
months, I was invited to and made welcome at Driving-Pro’s monthly breakfast meetings
where ideas, thoughts, help needed are all discussed openly in a supportive, non-
judgemental manner. I was also included on the Driving-Pro Instructors’ Facebook page and
was readily given my colleagues contact details with the assumption they were there if I
needed any help.

After I had completed my in-car training with Mark, I applied and received my PDI licence so
that I could take on my first pupils. Again, Liam stepped in to ensure I had everything I
needed on and in the car, talked me through the first telephone calls and meetings with
pupils, helped set up my diary for me and then touched base weekly to ensure I was coping
ok. After a couple of weeks of independently taking out pupils, Mark joined me in a mentor
role, sitting in the back seat for one lesson a week with a consenting pupil, for a further 20
hours of mentoring. We would have a debrief session after each of these lessons and work
out together how to address any issues and to move forwards. Finally, I booked my Part 3
exam. Mark helped me choose an appropriate pupil to take to test, gave me advice on how
to plan my lesson that would be observed and metaphorically just held my hand through
the process.

When you pass that Part 3 test and get your full teaching licence, the support does not end.
Driving-Pro is more than just a company. It has become more of an extended family, full of
like-minded people who are always happy to help, boost your confidence when you’re
feeling you’re not good enough and congratulate you on your successes. We also have a
pretty fun time when we get together for a night out!

Fiona Latham