Richard Singleton – Meet The Instructor

How long have you been a driving instructor for?

I qualified fully at the end of August 2016, so its been over 2 years now, however I did work as a trainee instructor for 6 months before getting that full qualification.

What were you doing before that?

I worked at Bae Systems from 2004 to 2015. I worked as an estimator for the commercial team, which basically, involved pricing up various different projects. Its fair to say it was a bit different to what I’m doing now!

What do you enjoy most about driving instructing?

I love the fact that the job is so varied, and no two days are ever the same! The most rewarding part of the job though, is when one of my pupils passes their driving test, even more so if I’ve taught a pupil from scratch, the feeling of taking on someone with absolutely no driving experience and getting them through their driving test is amazing.

Is there anything you dislike about the job?

I know a few other instructors have already said similar, but there is little more annoying than short notice cancellations. I’m not sure a lot of people appreciate how much of pain these cancellations can be. As I’m self employed they can cause big financial problems, and they make diary management a nightmare.

What are your interests/hobbies outside of driving instructing?

I don’t really have any hobbies, in the traditional sense. I work 6 days a week, so I just like to chill out on a Sunday. I enjoy spending time with my wife, and my 2 daughters. Generally though I just watch a movie, or sport on the TV, I enjoy F1, and I support Liverpool in the football, although I’ve only made it to Anfield twice. I also enjoy listening to music and I’m a massive Queen fan. I haven’t seen the new Bohemian Rhapsody film yet, but I’m looking forward to it, it looks great!