A COMMITMENT to lifelong learning led driving instructor Alan O'Neill to seek out a route to self-employment.

Now aged 30, Alan previously worked as a delivery driver for a local wholesale company and then studied part-time to achieve his driving instructor's qualifications.

Candidates are assessed on their ability to instruct, and are required to sit three written tests.

Once qualified Alan worked locally for a driving school, while planning his own start-up business.

"I worked for someone else for a year but I always wanted to be in charge of my own destiny. I like teaching and I heard through word of mouth how to go about starting my own business," he said.

"The excellent reputation of the Start Right in Business programme funded by Tees Valley TEC is hard to miss, so I knew who to contact."

Alan was put in touch with Walker Hall Associates, where he met senior consultant Sylvia Coe.

"Although I had done the job previously and knew what to do, the help and advice I received was invaluable, giving me the opportunity to bounce ideas around concerning things like cash projections. It has also been good to have someone there to support you and to discuss marketing issues," said Alan.

The investment costs involved in starting up a driving school are quite high and so Alan found the £500 grant offered through the programme to be vital. It paid for the car to be stickered and also contributed to advertising costs", added Alan.

Alan's business 'DWC' Driver Training stands for 'Driving with Confidence' and Alan's own confidence is soaring as a result of "the business doing nicely, with a steady away approach."

His customers mostly come from the younger end of the market and live locally in Middlesbrough.

His reputation is growing though as a result of a number of recommendations.

However Alan's success story doesn't end there. Another reason he wanted to start a driving school is that the hours are flexible to enable him to train for the Great Britain Dragon Boat Racing Team, for which he is a member. Already the holder of several medals, including European and World Gold, his success seems assured.

Still more ambitious though, and planning for the distant future, Alan's next goal is to grow the business and to take up a part-time university degree so that he can teach other subjects.

To find out how Start Right in Business can get your venture off the ground, please telephone Emma Finn at Tees Valley TEC on (01642) 231023.