driving instructor.

Why is there so much variation in driving instructor salaries? A big factor is location. If you live in an area with a high cost of living, like a large city, you'll usually get paid more. Driving instructors make the most money in cities such as London, Manchester and Birmingham. Instructors get paid more if they are willing to teach night classes or to teach at other unconventional times.

Keep in mind that the above salaries are mainly for standard driving instructors who teach people how to operate cars, small trucks, and other general-use automobiles. If you are instructing anyone in driving commercial or heavy-duty equipment, your salary will be a little higher. The average instructor for commercial driving makes £30,000 teaching people to drive vehicles like HGVs. You'll also get paid extra if you are training people to drive technical equipment like construction tools or heavy machinery.

An educational driving instructor works at a high school or college to teach driving as an elective course. In this role, you'll teach younger students in the process of getting a degree. Instead of focusing on the driving itself, you'll also spend time following typical school procedures like assigning homework or managing students. For this type of instructor, the main goal is teaching an educational course to students in a traditional classroom setting.

This is an instructor who works at an institution that only teaches driving. Instead of training the same set of students throughout a normal school year, you'll teach longer, more concentrated classes. Over a few weeks or months, you'll instruct students on everything they need to know to pass driving exams. These students are at the driving institution specifically to get a license, so they do not want you to just teach general knowledge.

Also called a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) instructor. This professional specialises in teaching students how to operate semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles. Most work at driving institutions, is just like normal driving school instructors. However, you can find some CDL instructors working at trade schools or community colleges.

Your primary job as a driving instructor is to give students the education they need to succeed as drivers. This can include information about how to operate a vehicle, current traffic laws to follow, and common driving safety tips. Some instructors, especially ones who work for a driving school, will need to follow a mandated course. Others will have more leeway so they can choose what information to cover themselves. You will have a lot of options for how to cover this information in class. Some instructors rely on lectures during which they stand in front of the class and talk. Others prepare presentations with images or videos.

Most driving instructors will also have a responsibility to provide students with hands-on instruction with actual vehicles. In these cases, you will need to sit in the car with students while students attempt to drive. The driving instructor provides feedback and advice while the student is driving. You typically drive a specially modified vehicle that allows you to take control of the vehicle if it becomes necessary. 

At a bare minimum, you will need to have held a driving licence for three years. 

Most driving instructor jobs ask that the candidate have a clean driving record. A ticket or a mild accident several years ago usually is not enough to disqualify you. However, if you have a history of accidents, there might be doubt about your ability to teach driving. Driving instructors who work with minors will also need to pass a background check. Some schools prefer instructors who have education credentials as well.

The main skill you need to have is simply the ability to drive well. You will need to have plenty of experience operating multiple types of vehicles. While on the road, you should be able to judge distances and times accurately, remember and follow traffic laws, and operate the vehicle safely. Depending on what type of driving instructor you are, you might also need to know how to operate trucks or other heavy machinery.

The skill that separates an excellent driving instructor from the average teacher is the ability to communicate driving techniques to others. In addition to driving well, instructors need to be able to explain what they are doing and to describe how to replicate their techniques. Since student drivers can make some mistakes, driving instructors need to be patient and remain calm while training. They will have to make quick decisions and clearly explain what actions students should take to avoid crashes.

The typical driving instructor makes up to £30,000 per year teaching students to drive. Some however can earn around £42,000 if very experienced.

The most common title for this job position is simply driving instructor. Depending on where you work, your students or your employers might also call you a driving teacher, a driver's ed teacher, a CDL instructor, or a driving trainer.

If you haven't done much driving yourself, it's a good idea to take a course. Most regions will have driving schools where you can pay a fee and learn how to drive. You can even pay for extra courses that get you certified in driving instruction.

Yes, this type of teacher is highly in demand. This job field has more growth than other educational fields because people are always interested in learning how to drive.