For AMA driving instructor Bogdan Nica, student drivers are like members of his extended family.
“I want to teach them what it takes to be safe on the road,” he says. “Teaching driving skills is important not just for student drivers, but also for their family and mine, as well as other drivers.”
Once a police officer in his native Romania, Nica is now a 13-year veteran of AMA Driver Education. Every year, its highly trained, contracted driving instructors teach up to 10,000 new drivers and 6,900 experienced drivers, helping them on their journey to gain independence on the road and improve their abilities behind the wheel.
Aspiring drivers come of age every day and it’s essential that they learn to operate a vehicle safely under any conditions. There’s always a demand for capable instructors—and AMA’s are trained to be among the best.
As one of North America’s most trusted driving schools, AMA starts by supporting would-be teachers with online courses and practice tests to get their Class 4 commercial vehicle licence. Then there’s one-on-one coaching and comprehensive training opportunities to prepare for the Alberta Transportation instructor’s knowledge test and a practical teaching exam. Once certified, instructors receive ongoing professional development from AMA, attending two workshops per year to review their skills, teaching methods and new government legislation.
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“We invest in our instructors, who in turn, take care of our members,” says Mark Pasternak, chief instructor of AMA Driver Education for northern Alberta. “Our goal is to build long-term relationships with our instructors—and their students.”
A LOVE OF SAFE DRIVING
AMA instructors teach proactive driving techniques and how to safely react to challenges on the road—not to mention things like following and stopping distances, shoulder checking and parallel parking.
Helping students gain confidence is also a big part of the process. “I’ve always loved driving,” says Attia Rehman, an AMA driving instructor since 2018. “It’s important to help my students enjoy it too, which builds their self-assurance behind the wheel.”
This, in turn, creates a virtuous cycle: “I feel so excited for my students when they get their licence,” she says. “It’s wonderful to help people learn good habits and take the next step on their driving journey.”
A SUPPORTIVE TEAM
Of course, being able to take pride in your work is just one of the benefits of being an AMA driving instructor. “It’s such a good organization,” Rehman says. “If I need any support, my senior instructors are there for me.”
She’s also her own boss. Each of AMA’s contracted driving instructors is required to set up their own small business. There are a few upfront costs, but AMA Registries offers guidance every step of the way—from helping instructors find a business name to registering their business to filing an annual return.
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Once the paperwork is completed, instructors can teach as much or as little as they want, making up to $70,000 a year with seasonal bonuses. “I can make my own schedule and set my own hours,” Nica says. “We’re well rewarded, but the relationships you develop are also important.”
And at the end of the day, that’s what counts. Whether you’re an AMA instructor or one of the more than 850,000 students they’ve taught over the past 83 years, AMA has your back—at every stage of the driving journey.
JOIN US!
Call 1-833-374-8733 to learn more about taking control of your career and becoming an AMA driving instructor.