Interested in Locksmithing Apprenticeship - Chicago, IL

[Klaiviel]

So I will be moving to the North-West suburbs of Chicago in a few months and I am interested in getting a locksmithing apprenticeship. My question is, how does one find such opportunities? If you call locksmiths in the phonebook at least in my area the majority are mobile and do not have a storefront. I would be looking more for something with a permanent location. If anyone has any advice that can help with my search it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[nostromo]

If you don;t already have something lined up, you might consider broadening your search to keep the homefires burning while you look. Once there, the employment services, newspapers and whatnot can help. Going and actually visiting the locksmiths (don;t cold call) and aksing if they know of anyone looking for help.

And consider folks that do door work, construction finish work, lock and security sales work, etc.

FWIW, not too many folks want to take on an apprentice. I worked with a guy who said "show me an intern that only DOUBLES my workload and I will kiss their feet"!

And then what many of them find is that they just trained someone to be their competition.

Call me cynical . . .

[Eyes_Only]

And a lot of locksmiths often don't want to spend the time and energy to train someone, and this was even before the economic troubles started. All those home study courses say that locksmithing is a "recession proof job" but I quickly learned that that is not true. Most lockies are just barely scraping by and can't afford to have another employee on pay roll.

Don't mean to be negative but thats the reality of the situations that are out there these days and hopefully the above can serve as a heads up to help think up of how to overcome common objections.

[globallockytoo]

You could look up Colliers in Edgewater. They are an old time company with new staff in takes from time to time. Decent shop in a busy location.

[nostromo]

eyes_only-

Seems like the cream-skimming auto lockout servicing is very competitive, too, so it's hard to break into the business that way. Our area had about 4 old-school type lockies (2 are also gunsmiths) 5 years ago and maybe a half-dozen new shops have opened up with young kids 'on commission' and big yellow page ads.

[Klaiviel]

I appreciate all the information that has been provided. I understand times are bad but its what I want to do, I will find a way to make it happen.