Driven Dave combines dad time with teaching
AFTER spending 20 years as a London cab driver, Dave Dunsford was looking for a new challenge. He spotted an advert in his local newspaper for RED D riving School and retrained as an instructor.
Dave, 54, who had also been teaching judo for years, realised combining his teaching experience with his passion for driving would be a great fit.
The father-of-five qualified as a driving instructor ten years ago and considers it the ‘ best thing’ he ever did.
Dave, from Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, whose wife Louise, 40, is a chartered accountant, says: ‘Having a flexible job is important for my family, as my wife also works.
‘I don’t want to be a dad who asks their children how their day was in the evening after work. I want to be involved in their day, taking them to school and picking them up.’
He adds: ‘I don ’t just teach driving: I’m sharing my passion. Every person I teach is learning to drive for a different reason. I see life - changing results as a consequence of someone passing their test, and that ’s incredibly rewarding.’
Dave also enjoys meeting new people through his job. As a judo coach, he was familiar with teaching different abilities and people who progressed at varying speeds. He believes understanding that no two people are alike is a vital part of his job. ‘If it takes them 30 hours or 60 hours [of lessons] to pass, it’s the same success,’ he says.
Dave wasn ’ t particularly academic at school and was nervous about returning to the classroom for his driving instructor qualifications.
But he need not have worried. ‘There was a lot of support at the college, and I had an unbelievable trainer, with whom I still keep in touch,’ he says.
‘The process was fairly simple and in three parts: theory test, driving test and instructor ability. If you put your mind to it, you can complete the course in four or five months.’
Dave has now become a trainer for other instructors — adding to his skill set. ‘RED Driving School encourages you to expand your business,’ he says. ‘It’s a franchise, but it still allows me to be independent.’ VISIT reddrivingschool.com/join-red