One quarter of people have considered changing careers during the pandemic, new research has found.
The survey by the AA Driving School showed that 24% of adults said they had looked into changing their career or had actually moved jobs in the last six months due to the pandemic, as many workers reflect on their future goals and work interests.
Of those, nearly two in five (18%) said they had considered changing careers but had not made the move yet. Unfortunately, 3% said they had been forced to change careers due to the pandemic.
Official government statistics estimate the most recent unemployment rate, 4.9% between December 2020 to February 2021, has risen by 0.9% since the start of the pandemic.
Visits to the AA Driving School’s driving instructor training course website have risen by 300% since last year.
Robert Cowell, AA Driving School interim managing director, said: “Since the start of the pandemic many people have looked into changing careers, by choice or circumstance, and we’ve seen this reflected in the number of individuals looking at our driving instructor training courses.
“It’s clear from speaking to people interested in training with us that they’ve re-assessed what’s important to them during the pandemic. Their attitude to work has shifted and many are now placing greater emphasis on a better work-life balance in a job that gives them personal satisfaction.
“Driving instructors work flexibly, control the hours they work and how much they charge per lesson, and make a real difference to people’s lives at a pivotal moment. Added to that, during lockdowns driving lessons were suspended creating pent up demand for lessons and the perfect market conditions to join the industry.
“Anyone who’s been thinking about a change in careers should get in touch with us and find out more about how to become a driving instructor, there’s never been a better time to join.”
