Confederate wrote:tomasfuk wrote:The certificate can protect against a loser who has a weak knowledge and skills. But such guy will be eliminated soon - either he learns what's necessary or gets no work.
If that were true then there wouldn't be a problem with locksmith scammers in the United States. They know very little but still get plenty of work even in licensed states. That's why it's important for locksmiths to start changing the perception of the trade by getting certifications and sharing them on their LinkedIn page or company website or storefront location.
I don't see the rub in getting certified in something you claim to know. Proficiency testing and continuing education should be as mandatory as background checks in this trade.
I've seen guys that "have been doing this for 30 years and don't need a test to prove what I know" perform work worst than an apprentice. Can you imagine the customer's perception if someone with decades of experience comes to their house and can't even install a simple lock? That was the story of a Pop-A-Lock employee in Atlanta. He couldn't figure out how to install an "Ultimate Lock" and packed up and left. Who fixed his mess up? Me - with just a year or two experience in the trade under my belt.
If there is one thing I've learned in this trade it's that experience doesn't mean much of anything. There are guys still out filing plugs because that's how they were taught and they don't know any differently. They would know it's the wrong thing to do if they studied the trade, attended classes, and/or took certification tests. If you fail? So what, it's confidential with ALOA, ASIS, DHI, etc. You at least learn what you need to learn - it's like a self-diagnostic test for your industry knowledge.
To be fair Pop A Lock generally employs locksmiths who are not very proficient or guys that are good with a long reach tool. Anyone can work for them or buy a franchise.
We take classes and tests but to be honest most classes are less than helpful for someone who has been doing this work for 30 years. The only time I have really learned anything was with some of the more complex classes, Kaba X09 and X10 certification, Lockmasters manipulation etc. The certification though is often required. Not just any locksmith can go out, buy an X10 and pop it on, nor could they work on GSA containers. Fortunately neither can the scammers.
I have about 30 years experience, my boss has about 35 and still we learn new things all of the time. He learned in New England, I learned in Florida so we have different ways of doing things and have experience on different products, overall though there is a lot of knowledge. I suppose even a guy with only a year or two might be able to show us something we don't know, but I would place a bet that we could show him a hell of a lot more that he doesn't know.
