Locksmith Training

Young handyman in uniform changing door lock

So you want to be a locksmith? Thoughts of opening high security doors under pressure of being discovered crossed your mind or just tired of paying the local guy every time you locked your keys in the car? A locksmith’s life is for the most part closer to the latter scenario although depending on your career path, you might find yourself working with high security equipment and restricted access situations. Let’s take a look at some of the things you should consider when you want a career as a locksmith.

School

The good news is you don’t really need a degree to become a locksmith. Locksmith training is generally received by way of a training program or an apprenticeship. The latter may not be paid, depending on the locksmith you’re working under but does provide you valuable information on a career that probably isn’t offered in a formal situation. You will need either this or the training program to learn the basics of locksmithing; lockpicking, lock repairs, the basic mechanisms of locks and making keys. Of course it helps to have some fair amount of dexterity, hand to eye coordination and some mechanical aptitude.

Experience

This is the part of locksmith training where you obviously have to prove what you know. This is a time when you can decide what aspect of locksmithing interests you most and how much time you want to put into it. For example, a locksmith that does safes, high security locks and the like or motorcycles and vehicles will need more training than someone who is working just with lock picking and key duplication.

Many areas expect a beginner locksmith to spend time working under an existing licensed locksmith for at least a year or more before allowing them to be licensed as their own business. This is where you learn about the details of the business; legal and ethical requirements, going out for an emergency call at 2 AM and still coming into work the next day. The customer who brings in the antique lock that probably was used back in the war and they hope you can open it so personal belongings of a relative can be saved and preserved.

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Associations and Certifications

The Locksmith industry has many groups and professional certifications that the beginning locksmith can choose from. Usually during that period of gaining experience you find out which will simply impress someone and which are absolutely necessary for getting a job or working on certain projects. Once you have those then you can consider

The Locksmith License

The requirements vary on location for what a locksmith will need in order to be licensed. Some don’t even require it but unless you’re planning on doing lots of favors or working with shady clients, it would behoove you to be licensed and gain that level of respectability and professionalism that it carries. This process will typically involve fingerprinting and passing a background check along with a standard application.

Once you’ve completed all of this, is it time to rest on your laurels? Of course not! A professional is always learning and continuing education is key for keeping up on new techniques, technology and even technicalities of legal issues that tend to change on occasion.

Becoming a locksmith is one that may guarantee you a number of friends (if they lock their keys in their cars and homes like you used to.) However, it’s also a profession that can help people at their most vulnerable and needing a restoration of security that may have been taken from them. Are you up to the challenge?