Continued Professional Development

CPD could become very important in your future career

The most important skills on a check test are excellent use of the Core Competencies, so make sure you use them on every lesson

Great! you've qualified . . . so what next?

Well, there's an awful lot you can do next. Why be satisfied with the green card when you can take your qualifications, skills and business much, much further?

This area of the site will grow over the next few months as we look at some of the further qualifications you can take, and discuss just some of the opportunities open to you. We'll be looking at the various advanced driving tests, the DSA's fleet trainers register and the further education and teaching courses open to you

One of the first hurdles you'll have to overcome as a newly qualified ADI is the dreaded check test

So many inexperienced instructors fall foul of the SE on their first check because they fail to appreciate the skills needed for an excellent grade . . . even more worryingly, a high percentage of experienced ADI's are failing to make the grade by giving sub standard instruction

You need to be in no doubt that the most important skills to display on your check test are the Core Competencies

use every lesson as a practice lesson for your check test . . . imagine that the SE is sat in with you over and over, and on the real test you'll feel far more comfortable

Sharron Hartley
ADIT Trainer

You also need to realise that the check test has so many more elements for you to control and take responsibility for than the Part 3 test . . . on a check you pick the subject, the route, the skill level and experience of the 'learner' you provide and many more elements of the lesson

The DSA are actively seeking the introduction of compulsory continued professional development (CPD), to increase the skill levels of instructors and therefore, hopefully, increase the standards of learner drivers attending for their driving tests.

5S Consulting Ltd have been commissioned by the DSA, to develop a Continuing Professional Development (CPD)program for the Driving Instruction industry.

For more information visit their web site, where you can read all about this ongoing process and see what's been done so far.

The Government's Road Safety Strategy sets out the Government's plans to improve road safety up to the year 2010.

The Government believe that the influence that driving instructors have on their learners is key to delivering higher driving standards. The DSA therefore say that "We are committed to raising the quality and expertise of all driving instructors"

In our view, CPD is nothing to be concerned about at all. In fact, it should be welcomed, so long as the training recommended is properly structured and appropriate to the needs of the industry. We'll be keeping a watch on 5S and will bring you news of any developments.

Check back regularly for updates, we are waiting until more details are released before we update this section of the site.

ADIT Training Team June 2005