I was working in recruitment as I had done for 10 years and was really starting to get down about the 9-5, hard sales environment. I enjoyed the people element of my job and the satisfaction of helping someone achieve their goal (in this case, finding a new job) as well as coaching, training and mentoring people and wanted to use this experience and skills in a non-sales-based role whilst combined with working in an industry I was passionate about and could have a positive, long-lasting impact on. Teaching people to drive ticked a lot of boxes for me.
I contacted all the known national instructor brands but was very quickly put off by the vagueness of their information and their hard sales pitch to get me to sign up for something (having worked in sales for 10 years, I knew instantly when I was being 'sold' to). The literature and websites were all shiny and gave the impression becoming a Driving Instructor was a formality, but I wasn't convinced and felt like I would be rushing into something I didn't yet completely understand. My wife had seen a couple of different ProScot cars driving around the area where we live and suggested looking them up and I'm so glad I did.
When I contacted the ProScot Office I was able to speak to one of the girls in the office who gave me specific information about what I could expect if I continued with them, what the training would involve and the amount of other ProScot drivers in my area who could help me once qualified. There was no sales pitch and no request for money upfront. I was provided with the details for John Macdonald, the founder and director of ProScot who arranged a call to have a further conversation. Again, there was no sales pitch or desperate attempt to sign up to something - just a very forthright and honest assessment of what the job entails and particularly the training involved. I then met John to have an assessment drive for him to see if my own driving was good enough to be able to teach someone else.
Training:
The training for Part 2 and Part 3 is incredibly difficult and stressful. For anyone reading this with an idea this is an "easier" career choice because "they're a good driver" then please think again. I am a very good driver and really struggled with large parts of the training. John's knowledge of not just driving instruction but the entire automotive industry and his craft from a coaching and psychological perspective is incredible - it's very easy to feel intimated by it and feeling that is the standard to reach - but you must find a way past that and work towards gaining that kind of levels of expertise. The training doesn't just include the hours when you're in the car doing role plays and practising etc. I lost entire weekends doing homework, watching YouTube videos, and reading through notes I'd taken. Without this, I would not have made it past Week 3. Hide...
There were absolutely no shortcuts taken through training. I've now done around 7 months of live Instructor work on the road and there hasn't been one incident or situation that's happened that John hadn't prepared me for.
I realise now that the training was tough because it needed to be... (1) to prepare me for my final Part 3 exam and (2) for life on the road teaching. It's easy to forget that students learning to drive are exactly that - students - and they make silly, unpredictable errors which can be dangerous or even deadly. I know John's training has prepared me for this as best as it could.
The ProScot Office:
I have nothing but the highest praise for the girls that work in the Office. They are incredibly helpful, friendly, and supportive in all aspects of the job. They are also incredibly invested in the success of ProScot, and you sense their pride in the business. They all have incredible amounts of knowledge about the industry and are very accessible - if you ask a question, you never have to wait long at all for an answer.
The have always insured that I've had a full diary and kept a steady stream of new students coming my way at the rate I've felt comfortable dealing with.
They are all good people and it's great to know as someone new to the industry that I have support locally who I can visit and see face to face and who won't judge me if I'm asking a silly question.
John Macdonald:
Putting aside his industry knowledge and qualifications, John is an incredibly decent and honest man. My training was stopped twice due to the Covid lockdowns and having my first child. John was always supportive and flexible regarding my changing situations. After the 2nd lockdown, my Theory Test expired meaning I had to restart the whole ADI process. John could not have been supportive and worked tirelessly to get me back up to standard to get back out on the road on my Trainee Licence.
I'm now in the position where I can say I've passed my Part 3 exam and I'm a qualified and registered Driving Instructor. Given all the events of the last 3 years (global and personal) I can hand on heart say I would not be able to say that if I'd done my training anywhere other than ProScot".