An Interview With Shell:

Michelle Frodsham has dreamed of being a Driving Instructor since she passed her own Driving Test in 1997.

In 2004 she took the plunge and joined the Driving Instructor Programme with Red Driving School, where she spent 3 years training and developing her skills and expertise.

Michelle has spent the last two years working with BSM, putting her skills into practice and achieving a high percentage pass rate with her pupils. These pupils constantly praised her professional, friendly and patient approach for making them feel at ease and were impressed with her lesson delivery, putting the aspects of driving in such a way they were easily understood.

Former pupil Tony enjoyed learning to drive with Michelle and says – “A great teacher; Shell got me ready for my test in no time – I’d highly recommend her to anybody – Thanks SO MUCH Shell!”

We met with Michelle to find out why she has become one of Bolton’s most popular Driving Instructors, and how she feels about setting up on her own:–

Hi Michelle, what made you want to become a Driving Instructor?

- “I love driving, I wanted to teach others so they could enjoy driving like I do.”

How did you find the initial Training, 3 years seems a long time?

- “It seemed longer at the time! It was a good course which could be intense at times but I had a really good instructor who became like a mentor to me. I enjoyed it though and learned the best way to teach people to drive.”

Have you enjoyed the last two years working with BSM?

- “Yeah its been really good, I’ve met some really nice people. I enjoyed the fact I could put what I’d learned into practice and develop my skills even further. It feels amazing when a pupil passes their test and you realise you have had an influence on their life.”

Why did you decide to take a big step and venture on your own?

- “The plan was always to go on my own eventually, but I wanted to start with an established School to help me develop my teaching methods and BSM were the best.”

How do you feel about such a big step?

- “I’m very excited, as before it would have been ‘oh I passed with BSM’, but hopefully there will be a lot of people saying ‘oh I passed with Shell’s Driving School’!”

Are you happy with the vehicle you have chosen?

- “Yes, I love it! It was always the Peugeot 207 to be honest, and now I’ve got it and had it decorated with my logo it looks amazing, I can’t wait to start teaching in it!”

Have you had a good response since venturing on your own?

- “I’ve had a better response than I thought I would to be honest. I thought I’d have to build up gradually with a few pupils at first, but I’ve had more than I expected approach me for lessons.”

What attributes do you feel you need to become a good Driving Instructor?

- “Patience, good Personality and a Sense of Humour.”

How do you make sure you are up-to-date with current issues and any changes that take place within the Industry?

- “I attend Conferences, make sure I’m Pro-active with my CPD Training, read the monthly ADI Magazines and continually log onto the DSA Websites.”

What do you different to other Driving Instructors to ensure you stand out from the rest?

- “I’m not sure I do, I just make sure I am patient with pupils, make sure they understand what I am asking of them and if not explain it in a way they do understand, I try to relax them or share a laugh to make them feel at ease.”

How do you calm your pupils for their tests, as we all know how nerve racking they can be?

- “I will never put a pupil through for their test unless the pupil and I are happy they are ready to go for it. It’s a waste of their time and money, and can have a negative effect on my reputation. Plus they will have had a mock test with me before they go for their test to give them an idea of what test conditions will be like.

Whilst they may be nervous for their test, the pupils know they can do it and the only reason they would fail is due to events on the day, not because they are bad drivers. I always offer words of encouragement and last minute advice and so on.”

Finally, what’s the best thing about setting up your own Driving School?

- “I’ll be able to make decisions that benefit the pupil and myself, I’ll be able to run my own diary which will benefit the pupil and myself, there’ll be no pressure from management to meet any targets, I’ll be able to teach my own way. The best thing will be knowing someone passed their test with Shell’s Driving School!”

Michelle is certainly very friendly and we can see why her pupils feel at ease with her approachable manner.

We wish Michelle every success in her new venture, with the prospect of realising her dream coming true.

If you would like to take Driving Lessons with Michelle, contact Shell’s Driving School on 07889 181865. Or E-Mail info@shellsdrivingschool.com with your enquiries. For further details log onto www.shellsdrivingschool.com