Tips for aspiring automotive locksmiths
People who lock themselves out of their vehicles or residences seek assistance from auto locksmiths. Their profession requires them to often be on call to meet clients’ emergency needs. If the individuals are self-employed, they may have to put in significant efforts in advertising their services and seeking new customers.
Every locksmith specialization is considered evergreen, i.e., that they will always be around. This is more accurate for the automotive locksmiths. The chances of people locking themselves out are high, as long as there are vehicles.
An individual who is interested in pursuing this profession needs to undergo some training to learn the variation the job demands as well as be certified from a trusted and established professional training course.
One must bear in mind that there is no “best” method of training. The individual must choose a training that suits him or her, and continue with that method. The most basic options available for automotive locksmith training are as follows:
- Online locksmith class
If an individual has the resources they can enroll themselves, for online classes and complete the training from the comfort of their homes. They also have the flexibility to choose the hours of study without having to disturb their existing routine.
Many schools have an affiliation with the ALOA and offer training and courses. The interested candidate can utilize the list created by ALOA to, look up for the schools offering the course, and take it forward from there.
Find a local locksmith who is willing to train as well as provide apprenticeship to the interested individual. This method is best when one needs to get some hands-on experience in the craft.
Whether the individual decides to go to school or study online before jumping into the application process, they must make sure that the course covers the basic curriculum. The basic curriculum must have the following courses:
- Introduction to Locksmith practice
- Key Blank Identification
- Locksmith Practicing Tools
- Lock Identification with a special discussion on different types of locks such as Tumbler Locks (disc and pin) and Pad Locks
- Lock Cylinders (including drilling and shimming)
- Enter and Exit Devices such as panic alarms
- Lock-picking Basics
- Re-keying and Master Basics
- Impression Skill
- Residential Lockouts (including how to handle clients)
- Commercial Lockouts (including how to handle clients)
- Automotive Lockouts
- Storefront Door Locks (Knob and Lever Functions, Removing and Replacing Locks, Latches, Strikes, Swings, and Deadbolt Preparation)
- Assembling and Disassembling Basic Locks
- Codes and Laws (Fire codes and key duplication)
If the course also includes a bonus course on planning or starting a business as well as choosing a specialization, then it is a comprehensive program that will help the individual develop completely. Sometimes, not all the topics will be included in the curriculum. In such cases, the individual can talk to the instructors and have a discussion on how to structure the course better.
