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 Driving 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.’
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