Getting started in locksmithing, US

[Andrelommech]

Hey, its been a bit since I posted last, my picking has come a long way (:

Anyway, I think a career in locksmithing might be a very good fit for me. The only problem I have now is figuring out how to get started.

I currently work full time in a hospital and have three days off a week. I could easily dedicate a day to an apprenticeship or OTJ training before changing jobs. I sent an email to a local locksmith a few days ago asking if they offered any sort of apprenticeship or OTJ but have received no reply.

Any suggestions on what to do next? I live in Boise, Idaho.

[Squelchtone]

Hey, its been a bit since I posted last, my picking has come a long way (:

Anyway, I think a career in locksmithing might be a very good fit for me. The only problem I have now is figuring out how to get started.

I currently work full time in a hospital and have three days off a week. I could easily dedicate a day to an apprenticeship or OTJ training before changing jobs. I sent an email to a local locksmith a few days ago asking if they offered any sort of apprenticeship or OTJ but have received no reply.

Any suggestions on what to do next? I live in Boise, Idaho.

Stop emailing and walk in, shake their hand and say you are interested in the trade and would like to help around the shop. Don't count on email to have someone call you back, most locksmiths are old school, email and computers is a new thing for most of them.

Don't mention the lock picking hobby, it's like 10% of what a locksmith does during the course of the day to day job. If picking comes up, say you saw it done when you were locked out once or saw it at a security conference and were always fascinated with how stuff works, then maybe demo your skills, or don't mention them and look like a total prodigy in front of them when you pick something they ask you to pick. Mention ability to work with hands, carpentry skills, metal work, that you own your own tools or will buy whatever they need you to own to get the job done.

Do mention you work in a hospital 3 days a week, they'll probably like to hear that you already have a job and aren't a bum.

Good luck in your search,
Squelchtone

[lockstar5000]

I took a 2 week locksmithing class back in January. They provide you with basic tools and a basic intro into locksmithing, including hands on picking, rekeying, master keying, impressioning, types of locks, auto entry, etc. Locksmithing 101 basically. After this, I went to al the locksmiths in the area and dropped off a resume. Nobody offered me a job, but one guy said I could tag along and learn. I have been working with him since. He has paid me a couple times, but mainly it has been a learning experience. We get along well, so it has been really great. Last Monday he sprained his ankle on the job. I had to drive the rest of the day, and he has been laid up since. He texted me today asking when I am available. So I will be back with him Monday, and he says he needs me to drive. Anyway thats my story, I consider myself very lucky. Just introduce yourself and maybe you will get lucky. He says I have been doing a good job, and I plan on opening my own business down the road when I learn more. Also, I have a part time job, as I would't make much money working and learning from him, but someday that will change. Good luck!

[2octops]

That's the problem with trying to get a job with an existing shop, you are asking them to train their future competition.

Everybody always wants to learn how to do the work so they can go out on their own after they learn the business. Why would anyone in their right mind hire and train someone that is quiet literally going to compete with them in the near future for the same customers?

I've trained many technicians over the years. Some still work for me, some have gone out on their own and have figured out how to make a living and some have gone on to bigger and better things unrelated to the security industry.

The last one I had was a repo man that wanted to learn more about automotive. It was legitimate that what I taught him helped him repo cars and he worked in a different area than we currently service, so I saw no harm. What I did not think about was the fact that he lives 3 miles from my shop. Last year I started noticing that our automotive volume had gone down some locally, but that happens from time to time and then I started running across his Locksmith business cards in town. Then my insurance agent called to tell me that the repo man had called and asked him about a locksmith policy. I also found out that he was quoting jobs at about half our prices (he knew our basic price structure).

He was able to survive for a few months in this area before he figured out that he could not compete with us even with cheap pricing. There are ways to starve competition especially in a small area. It's not easy and it's not fun doing it to someone that you trusted and liked, but it's business.

Anyways, this is the main reason that most existing locksmiths will not entertain many new people tagging along while they work. It's very difficult to trust anyone and nobody wants to train their replacement.