Mike Passed with us in May and gave us this great testimonial:
Why did you want to become an instructor?
Becoming a driving instructor was something I always told myself I would do one day.
During my most recent role in retail I spent a lot of time on the road traveling all over the UK helping to teach people to run stores. When I left that position I knew it was time to follow my dream and combine my love for teaching with my love for driving.
What did you do at the time?
I was a retail manager who also looked after various sites across the UK.
What made you choose us?
It was a combination of lots of things…. I liked the way the course syllabus was presented, the price of the course and not being tied into a franchise agreement at the end of the course. The Smartdriving website gave me a sense that I could trust what I was reading but most importantly it was a ten minute conversation I had on the phone with Smartdriving who genuinely seemed to care who I was and what I was hoping to achieve. That human approach that begun before I paid the course fee and is still continuing after I have my green badge makes all the difference and it is something Smartdriving should be very proud of.
What did you enjoy about your training?
I really enjoyed every aspect of each level of the course. But my favorite part was studying for part 1. Although at the time it seemed very in depth study for the theory test, looking back it was that in depth study that made parts 2 & 3 less stressful.
What didn’t you enjoy?
During my time studying I was unemployed with not a great deal to do during the day and I felt the long distance learning aspect took a while to sign off one section before moving onto the next section.
What advice would you give another person looking to be an instructor?
Be prepared to challenge everything you thought you knew about driving. And be prepared for your instructor to challenge you too!
I’ve been driving for over 20 years and I have no endorsements on my licence and have never had an accident. I thought that made me a good driver. Day one of my part 2 training was a big wake up call!!!
How has this changed your life so far?
Being a self employed instructor is amazing. Sharing your pupils journey from complete novice to licence holder is incredible.
Also, having a better home / work life balance makes a massive difference to both myself and my young family.
I totally believe I would not have achieved this without the dedication and passion from Smartdriving and I will always be grateful for that.
