Will the pink trainee instructor’s badge disappear?
Have we seen the end of the PDI training option?
Well, as many instructors know, many trainee instructors with big companies like BSM use the Trainee (PDI - Potential Driving Instructor) Scheme to gain experience of instructing with real customers before taking their final exams.The ‘Pink Badge’ (a pink triangle badge, displayed in the windscreen - as opposed to the green octagon as seen on the home page - which denotes a fully qualified Approved Driving Instructor - ADI) has been used by thousands of instructors, but there are now plans to remove the scheme.The PDI’s pink badge scheme will not be replaced until at least 2008 though, according to the DSA, as it will take them until then to come up with a replacement scheme.
Unfortunately, no-one from the DSA (to our knowledge) has outlined what this replacement scheme will be. However, reading between the lines, it seems that it will mean that an equivalent to the part 3 examination will need to take place before tuition is given to ANY paying customers. In recognition that at this stage, any driving instructor is still just finding their feet, what is currently the first check test will provide the ADI’s grade, as it currently does. This will probably be done within a year of qualifying.
Much more than this, and we could speculate for hours, but it would do no-one any good, other than waste a few boring hours! And if you really want to do this - go to the forums, that’s what they’re there for!
This is the best link we can find for information on this subject:
Whole report available here:
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