Many of us want to work for ourselves, and in the USA, becoming a driving instructor seems to be a good way of escaping the 9 to 5 grind. We see advertisements offering flexible working hours, a new car, and an expected income of $30,000, which would tempt many people.
So is it all as good as it sounds? Well it is certainly a challenging and satisfying job, but can be tiring, and you will need a lot of determination and self-motivation to succeed.
You can also become an instructor for truck drivers. Such instructors have even higher salaries. For example, NSTS school instructors who train Class B truck drivers https://nstschool.com/cdl-training-tacoma-wa/class-b-truck/ have very good salaries. Also, the profession of truck driver instructor is in great demand, because there are more and more people willing to learn the profession of truck driver, and more instructors are needed. And if you decide to become an instructor for truck drivers, then this will be the right choice.
The qualification process is split into 3 parts. Part 1 consists of a theory test, based on the highway code, and a hazard perception test. Part 2 consists of a driving test, where a brisk and professional drive is necessary, with very high standards expected. Part 3 is possibly the most demanding, which is the test of instructional ability. This involves teaching an examiner who will role-play 2 different customers, at different skill levels. You will need to have excellent communication skills, and you will need to be able to identify, analyze and fix any faults which occur on your 'customer's' drive. You will need to pitch your instruction in a way that doesn't patronize, or leave them feeling confused. This is a tough examination, and the national pass rate hovers around 28% - very low.
If you are considering becoming a driving instructor, you will need to decide who to train with. There are several driving instructor forums based in the USA, and these have invaluable recommendations and warnings on them.
Driving Instructor Training Courses tend to either be with large companies, who you will pay in advance for the whole or part of the course, or with independent trainers with whom you can pay as you go. Whichever you choose, always insist on meeting your trainer before signing anything, or paying money out in advance. As with any other big purchase (and it is a purchase - you are a customer), do your research in advance, find out as much as possible about the job, the training, and how well it will suit you.
Driving Instruction is a fantastic job, and many will find it their ideal job, but if you are thinking about it - go into it with your eyes open.