Spot-On Driving School

Christine Armstrong, a local resident from Newcastle, successfully set up her own driving school business with the help of FIN.

"Before I became a Driving Instructor I worked in various types of offices, which included data entry, book keeping and call centres. I always knew my main vocation in life would be to become a Driving Instructor, if and when I could afford it. I never really managed to raise the funds so thought it was an ambition that would never be fulfilled. Then the announcement of redundancy came from LTSB, where I worked as a Call Centre Advisor. As part of the package they kindly offered us the opportunity to train in another field with the funding of £2000 towards the cost. I made enquiries and was told I could use the funding to train as a Driving Instructor. The cost to train was beyond the funding, so I had to pay some of the costs myself from my own savings".

After qualifying in April 2010, Christine was added to the Register of Driving Instructors and able to start thinking about setting up her own Business.

"My reasons for becoming a Driving Instructor were very strong and deep set. I was also very influenced by the number of accidents and fatalities on our roads. I decided I would go ahead with the training and my main aspect would be to focus on teaching learner drivers the importance of safety inside and outside the car, and also highlight the hazards they could encounter every time they drive.

The hardest part of qualifying was the Part 3 Test, which was a test of my teaching ability. I was permitted a maximum of 3 attempts. The standard is very high, and when I failed the test on the 1st and 2nd attempts, I was beginning to doubt my ability, but was determined to give it one more try after some extra training, I finally

passed! The feeling was unbelievable! I felt like I had been thriving to achieve this for so long and I'd eventually done it! "

Once qualified, Christine decided to seek some help from government sources to help fund the set-up of my business. She was introduced to Chris Dawson, her Business Advisor, who kindly offered her guidance and help with funding for needs such as car decals and top box, office equipment and business cards and leaflets.

"My hopes for the future are to be continuously in work through recommendations from existing pupils, continue to have a very good pass rate and to keep up to date with CPD to further enhance my existing skills. Hopefully with my approach to road safety, I will be able to contribute to the attempts to reduce the number of accidents, and help make the roads safer for everyone".

Chris Dawson, Start Up Support Advisor, FIN said:

"FIN provides intensive support for people just like Christine, who had never worked for herself before. It covers all elements involved in starting up a business from planning to marketing and premises to costs. We work with individuals to assess their needs and connect them to relevant services including lawyers, accountants and tax specialists. We can also look at potential sources of finance and advice on the best solutions for our business."

For more information contact Christine Armstrong on 07880 767407 or visit www.spot-ondrivingschool.co.uk