Success Stories

After almost 20 years working as a dispensing optician, Nikki knew it was time for a change.

Her job had become mundane, there were no longer the challenges she once enjoyed, and she hadn’t been happy in her career for some time. When she decided to train as a driving instructor, she was ready for something completely different.

Looking back, her only regret is that she didn’t make the change sooner.

Why did you decide to become a driving instructor?

After nearly two decades as a dispensing optician, Nikki had reached the point where her job simply wasn’t giving her the satisfaction it once had.

“I hadn’t enjoyed my job for some time, so making the decision to become a driving instructor was easy for me. I should have done it years ago.”

Becoming a driving instructor offered the opportunity for a new challenge, greater independence and a career where she could see the difference she was making to people.

How has becoming a driving instructor changed your life?

For Nikki, the change has been significant.

She may be busier than ever, but her working life is far more stimulating and rewarding. Every pupil brings a different challenge, keeping her thinking, adapting and finding new ways to help people understand.

Most importantly, Nikki is much happier and says the career change has had a hugely positive impact on her wellbeing.

It has also given her something that was particularly important to her – greater control over her time.

“I can work to my own hours and schedule. I can do the school drop-off and be there for important assemblies.”

Rather than having to choose between work and those important family moments, Nikki has much more flexibility to organise her working day around them.

What was your instructor training experience like?

Geoff carried out Nikki’s training while she was a PDI, and she also spent time working with Simon and Bob.

What stood out was not simply their knowledge, but their willingness to share it and provide support whenever it was needed.

“They all have so much knowledge to share and are always there to help at any time you need them. I feel their training is fantastic.”

Nikki now sees the value of that training in her own lessons.

When a pupil tells her, “My last instructor didn’t explain it like that – now I understand,” it reinforces just how important good instructor training can be.

She has also valued becoming part of a wider team rather than feeling as though she has been left to manage everything alone.

“It’s such a lovely group of people. I really enjoy being part of the Geoff Capes team.”

What would you say to someone considering becoming a driving instructor?

Nikki’s advice is simple:

“Go for it!”

She is equally clear that becoming a driving instructor requires commitment. You need to be prepared to put the work in and give the training 100%.

For those who do, she believes the rewards are well worth it.

“Seeing pupils improve and remembering how far they’ve come during your lessons is an amazing feeling.”

After almost 20 years in one profession, changing career was a big step. For Nikki, it has brought new challenges, greater flexibility, more rewarding work and the ability to fit her career around the things that matter to her.

Her only wish? That she’d done it years ago.

“Since becoming a driving instructor, I feel much more in control of my career.”

For Nick, becoming a driving instructor wasn’t just about changing jobs. It was about gaining more control over when he works, how much he works and where he takes his career next.

As a self-employed instructor, he can choose the hours and times that work for him, while making his own decisions about further training, development and the future of his business.

Finding the Gaps in His Training

Like many trainee instructors, Nick initially signed up with a large national driving school. His training included a mixture of classroom and in-car sessions and, although he enjoyed much of the experience, there were gaps that only became apparent later.

That’s where Geoff and the team came in.

“There were gaps in my training which were identified – and corrected – when I came to Geoff and his colleagues.”

With more focused, individual training, Nick was able to strengthen the areas he needed to work on and successfully progress through his instructor exams.

Support That Didn’t End When He Qualified

Passing the exams wasn’t the end of Nick’s relationship with the team.

“They did a fantastic job of getting me through my instructor exams and provide me with great ongoing support.”

Today, Nick has the freedom to manage his working life on his own terms and decide how he wants his career to develop.

Nick’s Advice to Future Instructors

Nick recommends speaking to people who are already working as driving instructors before deciding whether the career is right for you.

“Like all jobs and industries, there are pros and cons – and there may be some you haven’t considered, not just negative ones!”

Mark had already successfully completed the first two stages of his driving instructor training when he reached a difficult point in his journey.

As he began the final 40 hours of PDI training, he found the verbal and instructional side challenging. Despite everything he had already achieved, his confidence began to suffer and he seriously considered giving up on becoming a driving instructor altogether.

Finding the Right Support

Mark was introduced to Geoff at a point when he needed more than simply additional training hours. He needed someone who could understand where he was struggling, break things down and help him regain confidence in his own ability.

Geoff took a patient, structured approach, working through each lesson at Mark’s pace and focusing on the areas that were causing him difficulty.

For Mark, the combination of practical guidance, encouragement and one-to-one support made a real difference.

Rebuilding Confidence

As the training progressed, Mark began to overcome the difficulties that had previously made him question whether becoming an instructor was right for him.

Just as importantly, he started to believe in himself again.

Rather than walking away from the career he had already worked hard towards, Mark is now continuing his training and working towards his trainee instructor licence (pink badge), with the ultimate goal of gaining his ADI badge (green badge) and becoming a fully qualified driving instructor.

“Geoff’s patience, encouragement and structured approach helped me overcome the difficulties I was facing and, most importantly, rebuild my confidence.”

Mark’s Advice to Other Trainee Instructors

Mark would recommend Geoff to anyone undertaking their instructor training, particularly those who may be struggling or beginning to doubt whether they can make it through the process.

“His professionalism, patience and genuine commitment to helping his students succeed have been invaluable to me.”

Sometimes struggling with your training doesn’t mean you’re not cut out to be a driving instructor. The right support and a different approach can be what you need to get moving forward again.

“The best thing about the training was doing it one-to-one. I had dedicated support and always felt supported.”

For Doug, one of the biggest benefits of training with Geoff Capes Instructor Training was having personal, one-to-one support throughout each stage of his journey.

From Part 1 theory through to the more intensive Part 3 training, Doug worked closely with Geoff, Chris and Bob, putting what he learned into practice and receiving individual feedback along the way.

Support Through Every Part of the ADI Journey

Doug began with one-to-one classroom sessions for Part 1, followed by practical in-car training where he could apply what he’d learned.

For Part 2, the training covered the different areas he needed to prepare for his test, with Chris and Bob bringing different perspectives to the sessions.

“Chris offered the instructor’s view and Bob the trainer/examiner’s view. The training was comprehensive and supported me in passing my test.”

Training That Adapted When He Needed It

Part 3 was more challenging, but rather than following a fixed training programme, Chris adapted the sessions around the way Doug learned.

“I felt that I struggled sometimes, and he changed things up to help me get my bearings and back on track.”

That individual approach meant areas of difficulty could be identified, discussed and worked on rather than simply moving on to the next part of the programme.

Learning From Real Lessons

An especially valuable part of Doug’s training was having Chris and Bob observe him teaching real pupils.

Their feedback allowed him to analyse what had happened during an actual lesson, understand what worked and identify exactly what he needed to improve.

“This proved valuable, as this is where you learn more – by getting feedback on your lesson.”

Dedicated One-to-One Support

Looking back, it’s the individual attention that stands out most for Doug.

“Any issues that came up were addressed and analysed by Chris and Bob, so I fully understood what I needed to work on.”

“All of my training has been first class from Geoff, Chris and Bob, and I would recommend any potential PDI or ADI to Geoff Capes Driving School.”

“I wanted to become my own boss, meet new people every day and pass on one of life’s most important skills.”

After spending 12 years serving in the Armed Forces and a further two years working as a youth worker, Dave was ready for a new challenge.

Becoming a driving instructor offered something very different – the opportunity to work for himself, enjoy greater flexibility and use his experience of working with people to help others achieve an important milestone.

A Different Kind of Career

For Dave, becoming a driving instructor wasn’t simply about finding another job.

He wanted the independence of being his own boss, while still having a career where he could meet and help different people every day.

Teaching Someone to Drive Gave Him Exactly That

Freedom Without Every Day Feeling the Same
One of the things Dave values most about his new career is the flexibility it provides.

But flexibility doesn’t mean routine.

“No two days are ever the same and there is always a challenge for me to help someone overcome.”

Every learner is different, bringing their own personality, ability and challenges. For Dave, finding the right way to help someone overcome those challenges is a big part of what makes the job rewarding.

Helping People Gain a Skill for Life

After careers in both the Armed Forces and youth work, helping and supporting people was already familiar territory for Dave.

Now, he gets to combine that experience with the independence of working for himself – while helping people learn a skill that can change their everyday lives.

“The training I received was tailored to me. I was seen as a person rather than a number.”

Paul began his driving instructor training in 2016 after making a complete career change from working as a mobile car technician and running his own business.

He initially trained with a large national company, but as he progressed through the process, he began to feel increasingly unsure and isolated.

Feeling Unsure and Unsupported

Although Paul had an instructor helping with his training, contact with the wider training team was limited and there was little opportunity to connect with other trainees going through the same experience.

“I felt unsure if I was doing the job correctly and giving the right information to my pupils.”

Things became particularly difficult after Paul failed his first attempt at Part 3. With changes to the Part 3 test approaching, he wasn’t sure what his next move should be and felt he wasn’t receiving the support he needed to prepare properly.

That’s when he was introduced to Geoff.

A Fresh Pair of Eyes

Rather than rushing Paul towards another test, Geoff introduced him to Chris, one of the training team.

Chris assessed Paul’s existing skills, identified what he was already doing well and, importantly, pinpointed the areas that needed more work.

“Chris was able to assess where I was up to, explain what I was doing well and give me some pointers on areas where I needed to improve.”

With focused training and the right support behind him, Paul was able to move forward with confidence.

In January 2018, he passed his Part 3 and became a fully qualified Approved Driving Instructor.

From Feeling Isolated to Being Part of a Team

The difference for Paul wasn’t only the training.

He became part of a team where instructors could communicate, ask questions, share experiences and support one another.

Regular communication, team meetings, updates and one-to-one support meant he no longer felt as though he was trying to figure everything out by himself.

“The training I received was more tailored to the individual and I was seen as a person rather than a number.”

For Paul, finding the right support after his Part 3 setback made all the difference.