Alberto Colacurcio – Meet The Instructor
How long have you been a driving instructor for?
My name is Alberto, but most people call me Bert. I have been a driving instructor for over 20 years now, and I’ve been with Weelz for almost 2 years.
What were you doing before that?
I was in the army and served in the Royal Corps of Transport for 8 years. I drove in some very interesting places including Kuwait, Iran, Canada, California, Belize, Cyprus, Northern Ireland, Germany and France. After leaving the army, I joined Blackpool council as a driver. I was asked to take a group of colleagues driver training on a minibus. The shotgun coach there said I came across really well, and he thought I’d make a good driving instructor. He pushed me to do the training, and the rest is history!
What do you enjoy most about driving instructing?
Like most instructors, I just love to drive. I enjoy meeting, and teaching, new people. There is nothing better than seeing the look on their faces when they pass their test. I worked as an independent instructor (working on my own, rather than part of a driving school), for a while before joining the Weelz team (family!). I have to say I have never looked back, it’s the best decision I have made.
Is there anything you dislike about the job?
There really isn’t much that I dislike about the job, as I say, I’ve been doing it for 20 years, and I still love it. The only thing that can irritate me is the constant cancellations, particularly those that come at the last minute. I have to say though, I love hearing the excuses people come up with. You think you’ve heard it all, but people never cease to amaze you!
What are your interests/hobbies outside of driving instructing?
After leaving the regular army, I joined the army reserves. I’m in my last year now, having completed almost 30 years service. I love socialising and spending time with my family. I am also a rugby fan. I’m a rugby union man mainly, but I’m happy to watch either. I played in the army, and for Blackpool, when I was younger, now I settle for cheering on England and Italy in the 6 nations.
