MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
I'm seriously leaning towards the idea of getting qualified as a cycle instructor - bikeability/CTC leader-instructor whatever i can do really.
Thing is, i have a suspicion that a lot of these posts are on casual contracts etc and i really need a regular wage coming in.
Is it sensible to expect to be able to live from doing this?
Not easy, but possible. You will probably need another income for a year or two. Revenue from mtb skills coaching can be ok, but you need a good patch to operate.
I'd run it as a side along with another business. Such as a B&B.
There is a B&B in Wales near CYB, can'tremeber name now. But they offer skills training and days out as well as the B&B service. Very good!
You not going to be a millionare, however think the way of life will be so good that money wouldn't be as much of an issue. this however obviously depends how money driven you are.
I'm thinking more about working with the Local Authority in the Cycling Development Office and related stuff rather than teaching MTB specific stuff.
That's why i'm looking at getting the bikeability qualifications, so i can teach kids etc. Doing MTB stuff would be a pleasant bonus but i'll never be good enough to lead experienced people on guided rides!
Having said that the Local Authority Trust Company (Link4Life) does run MTB courses as well as road-based stuff.
Basically, i need to be earning an absolute minimum of £16'000 to keep body and soul (& house!) together, a few days a month teaching won't really be viable.
Basically, i need to be earning an absolute minimum of £16'000
Then in answer to your initial question - no way.
This is how it works. In order to deliver Bikeability training you can either work for an official Bikeability trainer or you can become a Bikeability training provider. This involves taking a seperate course to the NSI course. Now, let's say that you were a training provider. You would be able to ask around £45 from the Local Authoriity or whoever is providing the funds, for each trainee that you get through level 2 training. Bear in mind that you will also have to drum up the interest at the schools first and then administer the whole course fromstart to finish. Far more work than it originally seems. Anyhow, let's assume that you can maximise your trainee ratio so that you are doing 6 trainees in the mornings, and six in the afternoons. A course lasts for 5 X 2 hour sessions, that's 12 a week, maximum. The reality is that you will average out at around high 4's low 5's by the time you've factored in the drop outs and sickness but let's work out the (highly improbable )maximum. School term time is approx 36 weeks not counting any time lost to bad weather when courses cannot be completed, so that's £45 per trainee X 12 trainees X 36 weeks = £19,440. Which seems feasible [b]but[/b] allowing that maximum trainee figure to fall to an optimistic 5 reduces the total to £16,200 and we still haven't factored in bad weather weeks, weeks where no one wants to train - SATS week, Xmas play week, bank holiday weeks etc, etc.
All of this is assuming that there is no training provider already operating in your area. Chances are, the LA are already doing it. If so then you can work for them. Rates for this vary but typically it's around £10 per hour outside London. We've got a really good deal in Torbay and get £30 per trainee and have no admin responsibilities. If you are making £12,500 outside of London, you are doing pretty well.