Driving Teacher
Paul Norris
Teaching learners how to drive is a complex business, and a rewarding one, writes Paul Norris.
A TYPICAL day for Tom Grogan usually starts around 7.30am. He describes his job as being part teacher, mother, coach, psychologist and mentor. Grogan works as a professional driving instructor in his own business, Eagle Driving School, in Vermont, Victoria. He’s also president of the Australian Driver Trainers Association (ADTA).
“Really, the only thing typical about the day of a driving instructor is that it is not a typical day. The day normally starts early to get lessons in before school or work. The middle part of the day is filled up with driving tests and lessons for those whose time is more flexible … “The time between 3.30pm and 8pm is also a busy time for our industry. We need to be flexible to cater for the demands of our client base. This also includes quite a bit of weekend work,” says Grogan.
According to the ADTA, there are around 4800 driving instructors working in Australia, and around 25 per cent are women. Driving instructors are employed by larger organisations and smaller businesses, or often run their own driving school from home.
Jeff Hare, manager of RACV’s Driveschool, describes the role of a driving instructor as an important one for the community. “I think driver training is important in the community as trainers teach correct and safe road law and road craft techniques. They also shape and promote good driving behaviour and attitude. I also feel that professional trainers minimise risk by assessing the learner’s competency in complex situations,” says Hare.
Ian Bushby, general manager of DECA Training, points out the vast majority of driver instruction businesses are small enterprises characterised by one or two cars operating from a home address.
“They usually lack resources to provide much more than basic driver education with which to obtain a first licence. Having said that, that’s what the market wants to buy as well.
“Overwhelmingly, new drivers go to a professional driving instructor for tuition prior to obtaining their licence. In many cases, it is little more than sufficient lessons to enable them to obtain their licence in the shortest possible time. Professional driving instructors face a significant challenge in demonstrating how they can provide superior value at an affordable price for learner drivers,” says Bushby.
VicRoads says the best current young driver education programs encourage learner drivers to obtain 120 hours of on-road driving practice prior to a car licence test, which will become a requirement when Victoria’s graduated licensing system comes into full effect in July, 2008.
Driving instructors are often most sought after by holders of learner’s permits wanting to sharpen their skills before attempting the licence test. David Hill, media and events manager at VicRoads, says that all professional driving instructors can certainly help learning drivers with on-road driving knowledge and confidence.
“The practical driving test is measured on the range of competencies associated with driving a car in a safe and legal manner. It assesses an applicant’s ability to make key decisions in traffic, where important judgments are required. An immediate failure [in the driving test] is applied in certain cases where poor decision-making results in unsafe driving, such as exceeding the speed limit for more than five consecutive seconds,” says Hill.
Bushby says usually teenagers have been taught the basics of driving by friends, family or neighbours. This common start for learners is a much-debated topic — whether this is the best beginning in producing skilled young drivers. “It is always a controversial issue — learning from professionals as against mum, dad, neighbour, friend or relative. However, it would seem logical for young learners to obtain some professional guidance prior to the practice sessions with mum or dad, etc.”
“The requirements of professional driving instructors in learning how to design training, put together training lessons, impart skills and knowledge, conduct one-to-one training, know current laws and regulations, understand vehicle handling and dynamics, and so on, are onerous and driving instructors require professional training in the first instance,” says Bushby.
Grogan began his career in transport driving trucks, then became a licence testing officer with VicRoads. Later, he established his own business. “Driver training has become a lot more accountable and a lot more professional since I first started out. I think the best way to describe it is that when I started the industry was seen to provide basic driving instruction, whereas today we provide training and education to a much higher standard. This has been brought about by the higher standard of training required to enter the industry now,” says Grogan.
The RACV’s Driveschool is the largest in Victoria and Hare manages a team of 72 instructors. “We supply ongoing training to all the instructors to ensure our standard of training is maintained. We also have a training and development co-ordinator that is constantly auditing and training our instructors,” says Hare. He points out all driver trainers need the minimum requirement of Certificate III in Road Transport.
“That [qualification] can be obtained through TAFEs and various training organisations. In addition, the RACV likes a trainer to have Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment and two years’ experience as a driver trainer.
“I would suggest that anyone wanting to get into the industry should talk to as many driver trainers as possible, and even sit in on lessons to see what the job entails,” says Hare.
I was the operations manager of the drive school and vehicle inspections for two years before I became the drive school manager three years ago,” he says. DECA Training employs 58 trainers who specialise in preparing learner drivers for motor car, heavy vehicle/truck, motor cycle and fork-lift licence tests.
“Most of the trainers at DECA have been hired from their extensive experience in the vehicles or equipment that we require. “We usually look for people with a wide variety of skills and experiences who can communicate, have good people skills and are willing to learn. We can train them to a professional trainer standard required of a DECA trainer,” says Bushby.
When it comes to the essential qualities which make good driving instructor, Grogan says professionalism and patience are the first two words that spring to mind.
“A good driver trainer also needs to have excellent subject knowledge and an ability to impart that knowledge. Another vital attribute is `people skills’ as they are dealing with a wide range of people in a sometimes stressed environment. They also need very good organisational skills. Their own driving skills also need to be of the highest standards in order to perform that important role model task.”
Related links:
Australian Driver Trainers Association (ADTA)
www.adta.com.au
DECA Training
www.deca.com.au
VicRoads
www.vicroads.vic.gov.au
RACV Drive School
www.racv.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/Internet/Primary/my+car/driveschool/
By Paul Norris, The Weekend Australian, October 28, 2006.
