A New Part Three Training Qualification?

"There was an interesting post on Facebook this morning. I regret seeing it because it’s going to take over my morning as I now have to write this piece. (Incidentally, I recently discovered that I was spending almost 4 hours per day on my phone. 25% of the time I spend awake. I had to make some changes.)

Anyway. I was on Facebook. And the DITC asked what I would do if I was CEO of the DVSA.

Now, the DVSA is in a mess which means that it was no surprise to see ADIs calling them out on the current shambles of test waiting times, lack of examiners, lack of budget from the DfT etc. 

Gareth Marchant got me thinking, though. He suggested separating vehicle testing from training and moving the training side out of the Department of Transport and into the Department of Education. Wise man. Great start.

The first thing that came to mind for me when I looked at the post was how would I overhaul the ADI training system. How would I change things for a better future, as opposed to getting things back to the way they were. Here’s what I came up with:

Double the legally required minimum Part 3 training hours to teach for reward from 40 to 80 and split the training into Modules. I would suggest, in no particular order as overlap would be required:

1. Module One – Customer Service and Business Skills. Includes communication skills focussing on education of potential drivers and parents, as well as design of own syllabus. (10 hours)
2. Module Two – Coaching Approaches and Techniques. Includes GDE Matrix and person-centred training designed to lift levels of responsibility. (10 hours)
3. Module Three – Driving Instruction. Includes National Standard, instructional skills, topics. (30 hours)
4. Module Four – Driver Psychology. (10 hours)
5. Module Five – Lesson Observations of ORDIT/ Grade A / very good ADIs. (10 hours)
6. Module Six – Community Focused Training. Ten hours attending road safety related training, EG Attend Road Safety Charity events; Safe System training; First Aid training; behavioural change interventions within local schools organised by emergency services and local authorities; Conferences, etc. (10 hours)

The objective would be to create better ADIs, which in turn could pave the way for a higher national pass rate (yes, we would have to overhaul the learning to drive process and test, too – I’ll write another piece) and reduced KSIs on our roads. 

I would be in favour of making this training course a qualification, and any existing ADI would be able to put themselves through it, taking advantage of some kind of system of Recognition of Prior Learning policy.  

The new generation of ADIs who come through this process, and those existing ADIs who choose to invest in themselves, would become MDIs – Master Driving Instructors.

What do you think? What have I missed? What would you do differently?"

Stewart Lochrie

Founder, Bright Coaching.