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Cycle Training -Working for Local Authorites
Many Local Authorities will have grants from central Government, with which Council cycling officers or Road Safety Teams spend on training individuals as Bikeability trainers. This is one possible way of starting out as an instructor.
These grants are only given to Local Authorities who have agreed to deliver the new National Standard for cycle training, branded 'Bikeability'. Although the Standard was agreed several years ago, there are still some regions only just adopting this as best practice, but basically any organisation serious about its delivery of Cycle training has to now adopt 'Bikeability'.
Most frequently they will recruit 10 or 12 people who can commit to the 4 day training course, and contract a company such as cycletraining.com to travel and deliver the course in the local area. Others will send people to organisations in London such as C.T.U.K to complete the training, perhaps over two separate weekends. Part of this process is obtaining a C.R.B. (Criminal Records Bureau) check for convictions which could prohibit you from working with children, and a Valid First Aid Certificate. The person putting you on the training will generally organise this too.
Working for a Local Authority can be an excellent way to get established, after initial training, co-instructing on courses is a great way to learn on the job, whilst consolidating experience and preparing for accreditation.
Some Councils operate a system whereby instructors work in a team freelance, with work allocated on a first come basis. This method can work well for those who have more than one job, combining different part time roles in cycling can be excellent providing you can manage a diary well.
After a certain time, the training organisation will come and mentor the instructor for two observed sessions. This observation gives the instructor advice on techniques and generally results in full accreditation.