driving instructor.

The daily duties and responsibilities of a driving instructor include:

• preparing lessons: as a driving instructor, you prepare lesson plans for students and adults based on their age and the vehicles they want to drive. You determine the objectives of the classes and the learning methods. You can adapt the learning methods anytime to suit the students’ requirements.
• teaching: your primary role is to teach the proper skills and impart knowledge on driving. Aside from basic driving instructions, you guide the students on the car parts and their functions. You also impart navigation skills and teach about traffic laws and regulations.
• acting on emergencies: teaching driving students involves driving practice on the road. Sometimes, you act on the emergencies that could occur during driving practice. For instance, you take control of the vehicle when a student loses control to prevent a wreck.
• encouraging students: as a driving instructor, you encourage students as they drive the vehicle. If the driver is nervous, you calm them down to ensure they remember traffic laws. You also help students in distress and advise them whether it’s the right time to take the paid test for the licence or continue with training.
• reporting: as a driving instructor, you prepare reports on the student’s progress and ensure the records are properly documented for future reference. Your report documents any emergencies and crashes during the lessons and each student's progress.

Driving instructors work in a driving school or institution and spend most of the day teaching students about traffic laws and vehicle features. You administer tests for the licences in classes. Aside from working indoors, you also work outdoors in practical lessons with students. You sit in the passenger seat and guide the driver throughout their practical lesson. When you work in the logistics industry, you are likely to work for a company that trains truck drivers within the compound.

Depending on your employer and industry, your colleagues might include truck drivers, lead instructors, administrators and training managers. You might also be working close to school administrators and operations managers, as well as other specialists that could include (but not be limited to) heavy combination drivers, private investigators, supervisors and transport coordinators.

The typical work schedule of a driving instructor teaching full-time is 40 or more hours a week. Plenty of part-time jobs are available that offer between 15 to 30 hours a week. Your time at work will typically depend on how many lessons you teach per week. In private companies, you provide teaching lessons on demand. For instance, you are hired to improve drivers' skills in operating some vehicles and train drivers in their free time.

Once you become a driving instructor, your growth opportunities are limited. Typically, the driving instructor job position is the highest possible option in this field. Part-time employees have opportunities to advance to full-time positions, but often, that is the only available promotion. You will have more job growth opportunities if you are willing to get extra training and develop more skills. 

Finding your driving instructor job through Randstad provides essential benefits such as the following:

• a wide variety of training and development opportunities
• an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
• a range of opportunities in your area
• get paid weekly or monthly, depending on the job
• temporary and permanent contracts

Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as a driving instructor is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers every year thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too.

As a driving instructor, you prepare lesson plans and learning techniques to help your students understand the functions of every part of a vehicle. You explain how a car operates, instruct on performing safety checks and teach how to respond to emergencies.

As a driving instructor, you require patience to teach students at their pace. It is also important to be adaptable and flexible to make learning fun. Excellent communication skills come in handy since you should communicate clearly and concisely.

Becoming a driving instructor is exciting if you’re passionate about cars and driving, and enjoy time behind the wheel and interacting with people. A driving instructor career is rewarding since you help students learn valuable skills and improve road safety.

A driving instructor earns a remuneration package from $47,000 to $80,000 annually. The salary fluctuates depending on qualifications and experience. Your employer also influences your earnings. For instance, when you work for a private company, your earnings differ from driving instructors working in student institutions.

Below are the requirements for becoming a driving instructor in New Zealand:

• pass a full driver's licence test in a manual transmission vehicle, if you haven't passed one within the last five years
• have held a full driver's licence for at least two years for each type of vehicle you want to teach (including cars)
• pass an approved driving instructor's course
• pass a fit and proper person test (police check)
• pass a medical check if you will be instructing heavy vehicle drivers
• pass a medical check if you have a medical condition that could affect your ability to drive, if you haven't passed one within the last five years
• hold an I (instructor) endorsement on your driver's licence.

Applying for a driving instructor job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our job offers. Then simply send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here.