Become A Professional Driving School Instructor
Proper training and education for individuals who want to learn how to operate motor vehicles safely are basically the major work of a school driving instructor. Professional instructors are duly licensed by a government jurisdiction in order to pursue a career in any of the accredited driving school that offers driver education courses. The qualifications mainly differ according to the local laws and school rules provided for the position.
An individual who wants to become a driving school instructor must possess a legitimate driver’s license in the jurisdiction where he or she will be working. In the United States, most state requires the candidate to be at least 21 years old and has an excellent driving record. He or she must be also at least high school graduate and a General Educational Development (GED) degree holder. If in any case an individual wants to be employed in a private driving school, he or she cannot obtain a license without a formal endorsement from that particular school.
Aside from the basic requirements like the age, valid driver’s license and an excellent driving record, a successful candidate for a driving school instructor must also complete an instructor’s course. Most of these courses are requiring individuals for thirty hours of study and to complete an exit examination before receiving a certification for the course. This is offered by institutions that are recognized by the law of the state where the applicant intends to work in.
There are other tests that are necessary to be completed to become a driving school instructor or even teach driver’s education in a local high school. The applicant is required to take and pass an eye exam, a written examination similar to a writing test taken to acquire a basic driver’s license but is more comprehensive and a road test. The road test includes dealing with open road conditions, traffic laws and demonstrating the ability to quickly respond when unexpected situations happens in the road.
Assuming a candidate had completed all the requirements, he or she will be awarded with a certification and will give him or her freedom to work as an instructor anywhere within the state and choose a driving school he or she wish to be employed at. A certificate is usually renewed every year or so to review the performance of the instructor and make sure that the level of ability involved is based on the standard set by the driving school in the state.
The driving instructor job is classified into four; working for a driving school, practicing privately, teaching driving education locally and creating driving instruction materials. The most common type of an instructor’s job is by working directly for a driving school. The school will provide all necessary equipment and administrative resources in looking for new clients and maintain an appointment book for the training. Driving schools may provide training on specific type of vehicle including passenger and commercial transportation.
Professional driving instructors with many years of experience can find positions by training new instructors at the local community or Career College. This is a service-oriented business, and the ability to teach and make a client happy is what matters most.
