Peter Smythe:
One of the strangest threads I’ve ever known on here!
Think John must have taken a super=sarcasm pill.
Weird.
Pete
Looks like John is dipping his toe in the water to see if he gets any nibbles, got to agree with your post regarding controlling such an operation Pete - I did have dealings with DTT and on the face of it everything looked professional, but underneath wasn’t quite the same**(comment based on working there)**
Let’s hope we don’t end up like the ADI industry where some people are taken in by promises of earning thousands as there own boss but the market gets flooded with people who believe the hype - then the professionalism we need to have and keep in the industry could be jeopordised.
One of the ongoing reasons for our continued success is the fact that I deal with many of my customers personally. Clearly cant train them all, but at least they know who I am and I go out of my way to have a coffee with them and frequent chats to make sure they’re comfortable.
I run from two locations and that I can manage. Any more and we’d be heading down the route of BSM where there is no real point of contact.
At this stage in the game I have no ambition to grow the operation, simply to continue offering what we’ve done for years. And it’s a proven fact that folk will travel for quality. This week alone, candidates from Shetland, Northampton and South Wales. Must say something. I’ll stick as I am but I wish Flair much joy with this project - though I consider it doomed from the outset on several counts.
Of course I know that but I can also imagine that you have employed people who perhaps you have trained from scratch to become decent trainers and have gone on to DSA or RTITB qualification. Obviously every trainer has to start somewhere and some candidates have to be the first the new trainer ever teaches.
Actually no, I haven’t. Yes I’ve trained instructors who end up working for us, but they are fully qualified and registered before being let loose. Further to that, all our instructors are accompanied by myself periodically in order to ensure standards are maintained.
Clearly, every instructor has a first candidate. But that candidate is surely entitled to the same quality training? This can only be done when the instructor is thoroughly trained, supervised, registered and qualified.
The training I carry out typically runs over around 6 - 9 months part time followed by 2 months full time. And then they continue to be supervised on a regular basis. The person with the least driving experience I have trained in recent years had 20 years class 1 under his belt. It’s so important to have industry knowledge. One of the reasons I feel so strongly about this is because I came into training with NO experience at all. And I was crap. I feel sorry for the first 50 or so people I trained cos I hadn’t got a clue. That cant be fair and proper.
I also have a list of DSA reg instructors wanting to work for us so I’m never under any pressure to use the first bloke available. I believe the secret lies in paying over the odds so that I can cherry-pick. Which is what I do.
So you pass the test at 18/19/24/30/40 and find it hard to get a job driving.
3 years after training you could forget being a driver and become a trainer.
I must be reading it wrong. Sounds to me that you are saying you can pass your test, not get a job and then it’s a good plan to go training.
So do many firms take people on who want to become trainers? Id love to do it but would the money be decent and how would i go about getting into it. I know you Dont have to qualify like a Car instructor but surely its good if some sort of qualification is obtained. Couldn’t afford to start up a business or have the experience but wouldn’t mind doing it under someone else who can pass their experience onto myself. Problem is i Dont really have any industry experience more on the pcv side. Nearly done it at national express but missed the chance.
Peter Smythe:
I must be reading it wrong. Sounds to me that you are saying you can pass your test, not get a job and then it’s a good plan to go training.
I’ve done training in many fields in the past and enjoy honing my skills as a driver. I would be more than interested in driver training and looked at a car driving school that looked really good - but couldn’t justify paying £1500 and then paying a franchise fee monthly…
Trust me - I’m good at what I do.