ADI INFO

Welcome …

… to RPM DRIVING ACADEMY, initially training learner drivers from the Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield, Tamworth, Aldridge, Walsall, Coleshill and the North Birmingham area. RPM Driving Academy gradually expanded and now offers training for both learner drivers and Driving Instructors from it’s offices in Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Suffolk. When it comes to training to become an Approved Driving Instructor (i.e. an ADI) we believe we offer exceptional quality and value for money.

How to become…

… an Approved Driving Instructor (i.e. an ADI)? You will need to pass three tests set by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA). Because there are three parts to becoming an ADI, it will understandably take a few months to fully qualify. However, if you train with us you may be in a position to work and earn money as a driving instructor after you have passed the second test and before passing the third and final test. This can mean a matter of weeks! We can do this because we are not just a training establishment - we are also a driving school. After passing your second test we will sponsor you under the Trainee Licence Scheme. This means you can work as a driving instructor for six months to allow you to gain the practical experience necessary to pass the third and final test.

Training…

… is tailored according to the individual’s personal circumstances. It is designed to accelerate you through each test in the shortest possible time. Most people who train to become driving instructors hold down a job at the same time. We recognise this. That is why our course is specifically designed to fit around your current job or other commitments on a part-time basis. So, whether you train full or part-time is up to you. Either way, it is a proven successful formula. You will be hard pushed to find better quality of tuition on offer.

What’s more, your training will be local! This means it will be conducted in the area you will be taking your test. This will ensure you get the best possible training and we will be making sure you are familiar with the test routes.

Finally and most importantly, a rigorous training programme has been put together by the proprietor, Richard MURRALL. This now includes the use of DIGITAL CONTENT. You will be able to go over hours of footage seeing exactly what you have to do to pass the Part 2 and 3 tests. This content proving extremely popular and are making it much easier to qualify as a Driving Instructor.

Richard MURRALL, already a well established ADI, has been fully ORDIT trained. The DSA visit to audit and review the ADI’s driver-training methods, and if considered appropriate they award the ADI ORDIT Approval, thereby entering them on to the Official DSA ORDIT Register. This is the highest approval which can be attained to train individuals to be Driving Instructors. This also gives individuals peace of mind when choosing who to train with. (ORDIT stands for Official Register Of Driving Instructor Training)

The requirements…

…to become an ADI are that you have held a full driving licence for at least three and a half years and that you have no more that 6 penalty points on your driving licence. You will also have to provide two references and be able to read a number plate at 90 feet (with glasses if normally worn). Certain criminal convictions, which are current, may also hinder your application. There are no formal qualifications required. What is required is the ability to be good with people, well organised and enthusiastic.

To qualify ..

… as an ADI you need to pass three tests, known as Part One, Part Two, Part Three.

Part One (the first test) …

… comprises of 100 multiple choice questions on a variety of driving and instructional topics. These 100 questions are split into four bands. There is a choice of four answers to each question, one of which is the correct answer. In other words you have a one – in –four chance of being right. To pass you need to get 85 out of 100 including a minimum of 20 correct in each band. You do not need to have essay writing skills. As part of the Part One test you will also be shown 14 video clips of hazards about to develop on the road whilst driving. You will be required to click as soon as you see the hazard. This is the same test as learner drivers have to do. The only difference is you are expected to identify the hazard sooner than a learner. Our training is tailored to the individual. You will not be put in a classroom with lots of others and asked questions. This can often be counter-productive and embarrassing for the individual. Instead, you will be allocated a personal tutor to help with your studies and go through any queries you may have. You will also be supplied with all the relevant books, videos, tuition material and mock questions and answers needed to pass this test. This hands-on approach has proved highly successful in passing this first part.

Part Two …

… is a driving test very similar to the normal ‘L’ test. It is slightly longer and of a higher standard. The test takes in all types of roads including the motorway for a short period and all manoeuvres. During the test you are allowed to make six driving faults and no more. The idea is to be able to instruct from a position of strength. The Part One test gives you the knowledge required to teach and the Part Two test shows you can put into practice what you are about to teach. Again we offer hands-on, in-car tuition to correct those bad habits you may have picked up over the years.

Our Part 2 digital content, which is some 2 ½ hours long, demonstrates everything you have to do to pass this test! What better way is there of practising what we teach you. For example if we have taught you how to do an Emergency Stop or Reverse Corner or anything else – you will be able to watch it on our exclusive Part 2 digital content and then go out and practice!

Once you have passed this part you will be shortly in a position to take advantage of the trainee licence scheme should it be appropriate. This means you may earn and work as a driving instructor to fit in with your current job. It is designed to give you experience to pass the Part Three Test should it be needed.

Part Three …

This test requires you to give two half hour lessons on subjects chosen by the examiner. The examiner will play the role of the pupil and you will be the instructor. You are being tested on your ability to instruct and deliver a lesson. You will receive a minimum of 40 hours in tuition for this part. What’s more you will be given our Part 3 digital content which has about 8 hours of footage going through everything you need to pass the Part 3 test. For example if we have taught you how to do an Emergency Stop Lesson or Reverse Corner Lesson or any other lesson – you will be able to watch exactly what you have to do on the day of your test. There can’t be a better of way learning what we have taught you then seeing it done properly in our film-based digital content!

Job Security…

…..is something we all strive for. In these uncertain times you never know whether your job is safe from one day to the next. Things can be fine today, but who knows whether things will be the same next year, in five years or in ten years.

What is certain is the driving instruction industry is and has always been stable. With about one million births every year in the United Kingdom there is a constant and steady flow of young people wanting and needing to learn to drive. This has been the case for the past twenty years and the trend is set to continue. There are also rife rumours that Britain may follow other European countries and require learner drivers to only have professional tuition. That can only be good news for ADI’s.

What we do know is that an average 97% of people who learn to drive have professional tuition. Recent changes within the industry will not only ensure that this remains the case, but will increase the earning capacity of the ADI. These changes include the Theory Test, the retraining of driving offenders, the Pass Plus advanced driver training scheme and the introduction last year of the more difficult and longer driving test. There has also been a sharp increase in fleet training for employees of companies in defensive driving methods. Insurance companies are demanding this to cut down on the number of claims that have been made in recent years.

So whether you’re thinking of a career change, want to eventually work for yourself or simply want to train to earn £28.00 - £35.00 per lesson on your days off, being an ADI will allow you to do this.

Once qualified …

…you are an ADI for life! Your entry on to the register is renewable every four years. So, providing you don’t get a criminal record, get no more than six points on your driving licence and take a simple check test every three or four years you are an ADI for life. This means you can remain within the industry, take a career break but add to your current wage by working and earning £28-35 p/hr as an ADI on your days off or simply be safe in the knowledge that should your current job situation alter in the future you can have the security of having a job as an ADI. The choice of how you use your qualification is yours!

You can earn …

…. between £30,000 to £45,000 + per annum. This is based on 40 hours of lessons per week and after taking away your expenses, depending on where you live. If you wish to earn substantially more than that, you can by putting in longer hours or increasing your hourly rate. Again, the choice is yours. What you will experience is job satisfaction. The hours you work and days you have off are up to you. You won’t have a boss or manager breathing down your neck, watching your every move, ensuring you reach your targets and watching your time keeping. It really is that flexible. What you will be doing is helping to make the roads a safer place for everyone, enriching people’s lives and when you leave the Test Centre having had your first driving test pass..…..seeing the successful candidate’s happy face brings enormous job satisfaction.

Having read …

…this information pack you may have many burning questions. How do I get started? How much will the training cost? How long will it take? I can assure you, you will be pleasantly surprised at how little the training costs. Especially when you consider you will be paying for a job for life and when you compare it to those organisations, which are purely training establishments and cost their profits in to the training. We are able to be very competitive because we are local and we are also a Driving School. The cost is a very competitive sum of £3,600. This includes all course tuition and training and all course materials and books. There are no extra costs. You will only have to take in to consideration the fees payable directly to the DSA (i.e. the cost of taking the tests and the cost of the trainee licence). You can have the option to pay in three instalments spread over 3 months. With the instalments option all that is required to secure your place is a deposit of £1,400. The next payment of £1,200 is payable within 42 days, with remainder of £1,000 payable 42 days after that, so a total cost of £3,600. Special Rates are available for Armed Services, Police, Fire and Ambulance Services personnel - please ask for details.

We invite you to call us, and we will be more than happy to go through any questions you may have. We look forward to hearing from you…

Richard Murrall, DSA ADI (Car) ORDIT, Training Manager, RPM DRIVING ACADEMY