On Being an Instructor

I am celebrating today.  I'm celebrating that my friend Julie is scheduled to go through the Instructor training and become an NRA Pistol Instructor.  That is always an accomplishment and I'm always excited for the people who choose to do that. 

I am asked occasionally about what it takes to be an Instructor.  That's a tough question.  The short answer is, not that much.  It takes a few days and a few hundred dollars and you will be a credentialed Instructor.  But of course, there is more to it than that. 

If you are thinking about heading down that path, kudos to you, but you would be wise to know what all it involves.  When I went through it, I had no idea. 

The first thing to consider is, how much money do you have?  I imagine most new Instructors are a bit shocked to find that there are many hidden expenses involved in being an Instructor. Here are a few to consider:

• You have the initial cost of the training.
  
• Your next step will be to pay the fees to the organization that you will be credentialed with.
  
• You will then need to purchase Instructor insurance.  This is different than the liability insurance you may carry as a gun owner.  It is specifically for Instructors to protect them from liability should something go wrong on the range.
  
• Then you will need a place to teach.  That is very often a huge obstacle for many new Instructors.  Public ranges often do not allow outside Instructors to teach at their range for liability reasons.  I imagine a lot of Instructors get stuck there simply because there is no place for them to teach.
  
• If you are fortunate enough to have a place to teach, they most likely are going to want to be paid for use of that facility.
  
• You are also going to need materials.  Those will cost you a certain amount too.  And don't forget the shipping cost, which can be high.    If you are teaching an NRA course, you are required to stick firmly to their materials.  They, and other organizations require you to stick to their materials and their ways of teaching for the purpose of remaining consistent.  Rarely are you allowed to just do your own thing, even if you have years of experience behind you. 
  
• Advertising.  How are you going to do that?  Social media is free and the approach most use but how do you get those posts or events to be "shared" so that people actually know about your class?  You think friends will share?  Some will.  Truthfully, most will not.  Its not that they don't want to support you, but they may not want to deal with the grief they may get from their family and friends for promoting the use of a gun.  Their job may frown upon their pro-gun stance and so, they may not share your event and help you spread the word. 
  
• All of this adds up to it being very difficult to find students for your class and then having to pay out of your income from the class to pay for materials, insurance, and facility.  Keep in mind too that if you are teaching a Concealed Carry class, in Ohio it is an 8-hour class - make that a 10-hour day for the Instructor. 
  
• Lets say you are one of the fortunate people who lands a job teaching for a range or a training organization in your area.  Yes, your earning potential goes way up in that instance, but it may be far less than you think.  In most cases the range or organization will be getting the lion's share of those profits and you will get an hourly rate.  You WILL start making money, but temper those expectations so that you are not disappointed.  I work for an elite training organization at one of the extraordinarily nice ranges in our area and I teach classes on a weekly basis and there is still no way I could begin to live on what I make.  

Here is a post I made on social media in 2014 to give you and idea of where things stood for me. 

Now lets consider other expenses that are not required but will certainly make a difference in the quality of Instruction you offer - your own personal training.

Any good instructor will always be pushing themselves to expand their own training.  Plan on traveling and paying big bucks if you want to get the best training available. 

Another thing you would be wise to consider is waiting.  Yes, waiting.  I know.  No one wants to wait for anything, but it really is the better way to ensure that you are offering quality training to your students.  Find a good Instructor that you respect and ask if you can assist or just watch them for several classes.  In the organization I work for EVERYONE starts as an Apprentice.  That means EVERYONE who starts with us puts in a minimum (maybe more) of 100 hours where you work without pay.  You observe.  You sweep brass and hang targets and make sure the Instructor has what they need.  You watch and listen and learn their ways.  There are number of people who balk at that.  They feel they are credentialed and they should be able to just jump right in and teach.  Credentialed does not always equal credible.  Credibility takes time.  By watching and assisting you may not be making money but you are gaining something that can not be bought - experience.  Not all Apprentices make it to Instructor.  Some do.  Most do not.  Even now, as an Instructor with that organization for over a year now, I still put in hours without pay.  I do so because 1, I am helping the organization be better and thereby helping myself, and 2, I am gaining valuable experience.  

So far this is sounding like a really bad idea,, right?   It is not.   Being an Instructor can be one of the most rewarding things you can do.  You just have to approach it for the right reasons. 

The bottom line, is why do you want to be an Instructor?  Ask yourself that question and be really honest with yourself.   If you are in it to make money, find another way.  If you are in it to serve others by assisting them in becoming skilled, go for it.  It is truly rewarding to watch people progress and gain confidence and know that you had a hand in  helping them better protect those they love.  That is the reason we do this.