How to choose a course avoiding the rip offs

[pinky]

Again ive put up this simple dos and donts when selecting trainers in the uk, as i get 12 or more emails a day asking these questions.

COURSES AND TRAINERS TO AVOID

1 ) avoid all courses that make wild claims of low set up costs and an easy £1000 + earnt per week.

2 ) avoid all courses from locksmiths who cannot prove at least 3 years trading history, as they just wont have enough experience to pass on.

3 ) avoid all courses that claim you will be qualified and experienced enough to set up as a competent locksmith after their 2 day course.

4 ) avoid all courses that run bigger classes than 2 trainees per instructor, 1 to 1 is the ideal, little will be covered and no where near enough learnt on the classes of 6 or more, especially in 2 days.

5 ) Avoid courses that look too good to be true ? like those offering to teach you , general locksmithing, video entry , alarms , electronic locks and autos in just a few days.

6 ) avoid all courses that offer to teach you to open 95% of all cars in a day or 2, again just wont happen.

7 ) avoid courses that teach drilling over picking

8 ) avoid courses that dont teach you hands on to pick BS3621 locks using a range of curtain picks, as a minimum you should be taught the methods of picking, ERA Invincible and profits , Legge BS range , Chubb 3U114 , Union 2134 and yale 562 ranges.

9 ) avoid the courses that dont teach you to pick the latest ERA fortress and the other new BS3621-2004 range of locks just released.

10 ) avoid the courses that dont teach you how to pick dimple locks , such as the 7 pin mul t lock garrison lock.

11 ) avoid trainers making wild claims, 1 claims to have been a locksmith for far longer than he has, claiming his company has been trading for 25 years, yet he was trained as a novice just 3 to 4 years ago on a 2 day course, its possible that someone with 3 years experience and ability will be a fairly good trainer, so why lie about your experience ?

12 ) avoid anything that looks too good to be true.

What to look for when selecting training;

1 ) what is your trainers reputation like within the industry

2 ) how busy is he as a locksmith

3 ) How long has he been trading as a locksmith that can be proven

4 ) can your trainer open the locks you took along to him to open

5 ) ask to pop along with some locks prior to booking a course and ask them to pick them, a 7 pin garrison an ERA invincible a legge 5641 and a Chubb 3U114 would give you an idea of his ability.

6 ) research your trainer, check with yellow pages how long he has advertised as a locksmith, this will give you a good indication on how long hes traded from novice.

7 ) ask the training company for the truth on how much realisticly you can expect to earn in your 1st few years, and how long it will take to become competent, their answers will indicate their honesty and current knowledge of the state of the industry.

8 ) You will find in an earlier thread on what should be included in a basic course, print this and ask if these subjects are taught fully hands on.

9 ) always choose a course that teaches on a 1 to 1 basis or maximum of 2 trainees to 1 instructor for novice courses.

10 ) ensure you will be taught to pick by hand with curtain picks at least the following, ERA invincible and profit locks, Legge 5641 locks , chubb 3u114, union 2134 and yale 560 locks.

11 ) ensure that you are taught the methods for picking the new BS3621-2004 locks such as ERA fortress , as these do pick with curtain pick and decoder, these are the locks of the future so its important you know how to pick them.

12 ) Dimple locks are proving more popular these days, so ensure that you are taught to pick these open.

In short research your training company with as much energy as you do your business plan, ensure all relevent subjects are taught fully hands on and that your trainer is honest and reputeable and trading for at least 2 to 3 years as a trading locksmith and can prove it, this may well stop the hundreds of people a month from throwing away their life savings to line a sharks pocket.

[Wallaby]

I think people should keep a sense of realism about their expectations, I spoke to Pinky about some of the wild claims over the weekend and some people are clearly getting conned by what they read.

I would add to pinky's post ...

avoid the blatant lies eg: one of the training courses advertises just a two day course with the slogan "staggering return with a small investment". Anybody in this business knows this is not true ... more like "moderate return, assuming lots of hard work and a considerable outlay in tools" would be more truthful .....

Avoid those stating that they will gain work through the trainers find-a-locksmith scheme ... check this really will be the case and test it ...

Avoid those claiming a 24 hour help line for assistance after the course, find out if really is the case ...

[bonez]

will have to agree with wallaby here,

the need to keep things real is a must!
what you will learn in a weekend is just the first step on a very
long ladder to become even half competent with what's needed
to work at the door!

to think you can walk away with a few shims and a basic pick set
and make a fortune is a no no!

take the advice above resource all the avenues properly!
as wallaby said the return will be moderate and the outlay big,but it
can be done after a lot of hard work.

cheers

jb.

[pinky]

if only the penny would drop, still over 100 people a month throw money away on poor training to follow a dream, so tinted with rose coloured specs that they dont even bother researching a business plan at all let alone fully.

Its not just the poor suckers throwing away their savings on a dream that more often than not ends in tears, but , due to the sheer number of undertrained lock butchers being turned out in all areas, i watch skilled locksmiths shutting up shop and quitting the industry through lack of work.
in an area you may get 30 new start ups in a year, what does this do to the market share, it divides it by another 30, so ultimately its not just the new undertrained guy that goes under, but alot of good locksmiths too.
What happens when the day comes that only the lock butchers are Left?

i chatted with a locksmith last month, sold up his tools and machines and shut up his shop, the guy was a brilliant locksmith fairly priced and highly skilled, there now isnt enough work in his area for him to survive, so hes quit to work full time for a manufacturer on call.

[Raccoon]

Sell a $5 locksmith training course on CD, covering the aspects of finding decent locksmith training and avoiding scams. You'll make $1000 a week!

[vector40]

One thing to think about, though. Nowadays it's hard to get anything done without marketing that may seem a little hyperbolic. Claims a little out of line with reality don't NECESSARILY mean the content is worthless -- use your judgment.

[quicklocks]

One thing to think about, though. Nowadays it's hard to get anything done without marketing that may seem a little hyperbolic. Claims a little out of line with reality don't NECESSARILY mean the content is worthless -- use your judgment.

if you went in to a shop and brought a 12 pack of crisps opened the bag and got 6 would you complain? errr yes the pack said 12 you got 6 not what was advertised means you have been ripped off

[Raccoon]

Yet we all see ad banners "Giving Away Free iPods*", but of course, "details apply". These courses are just marketing off the 0.001% of self-motivated and competent students capable of taking the shitty class, walking away confused, but manage to make a successful business under rare circomstances.

[Cutter_Locks]

Hi, new guy here.
I heard you guys can get pretty mean from another board, but I thought I would put my head out on the chopping block and ask for some advice on as course I was thinking about getting.

http://www.lockpicks.com/index.asp?Page ... ProdID=342

It seems like it would be, but I was a little put off by them not selling me a bump key set unless I had a certificate of training, or some other proof of being a locksmith... and coincidental I find this course on their site with a certification

Is this one any good, as in is there a better one for a comparable price?
I could use some lessons in the business end of it, I already have the automotive side down with the lock out set that's opened everything I have encountered with relative ease, starting new on the lock side, I put a few locks in with my construction/auto body background, but never picked one yet.

I own my own pool company, so I got the gist of the basic business ends, but not the specifics of locksmithing, the tool recommendations and setup is a big seller to me, and a course that gives a solid walk-through all of the business would be nice as well.

I'm not too concerned with safe work right now, but I would like to learn how to re-key locks, master key commercial work would be nice to know too, and maybe set up electronic alarms...

I have no one to teach me personally, I need to make my full size , extended cab, short box truck work for now.

I appreciate any helpful advice I can get, I know starting a new business is hard, but I think it will help me through the long winter layoff in MN.


Thanks
-Travis

[Shrub]

Hi Travis welcome to the site,

I wouldnt take any notice to the other site, we are very friendly and happy to help anyone,

I dont know about that course but if you tell us where you are we may be able to help you out further as courses change depending where in the world you live, its pointless giving advice for the US if your in Holland for example,

A lot of people have done or are doign the Foley Belshaw course and say its quite good but it maybe more money than that, you get what you pay for and should try to get a better course than a cheap one,

If its just picking pin locks however then look no farther, this site will get you to a good skill level without spending anything, you know how locks work you say so thats half the battle, have a look around and click my picture to see some helpful links to get you on your way,

[ldnlksmth]

I'm in Canada, and did a significant amount of research before I took my course. I settled on the Foley-Belsaw course, even though it cost me a little more in postage.

I already had some experience, so I found it a little frustrating. If you have none, it will be a GREAT starting point. The tools included in the course are decent, but when I took the course (earlier this year, did it quickly because I'm impatient), I found that things were a little outdated, especially when it came to the automotive work (I would place that particular text about 1991), and the alarm work that came at the end (I would put that at about 1985). I had very specific interests in the course, and so didn't put up too much of a stink, but that's definately something to focus on, the date of the material, relevant to today's subject matter.

[Varjeal]

I also believe that Ontario has a college that offers a locksmith program/course. Have a look in the sticky in the top forum. There should be a list of courses/colleges there.

[ldnlksmth]

Ontario does have a private college, run through The Ontario Association of Locksmiths, in Toronto. I've heard mixed reveiws about these courses, some say they're excellent, some say the opposite. I havn't been able to find a lot of detailed information about them, and they are pretty pricy. Especially if you have a day job, they can be difficult to get to, they're usually held during the week.

[Varjeal]

Take a look at the Alberta Red Deer College Locksmith Program, you may be able to find some useful info there. The classes are expensive, but worth it if you can be in the class room for the 8 weeks. Other than that, your pretty much stuck with the correspondence courses in Canada at least.

[ldnlksmth]

it all depends on where you are... Canada's a big place. Toronto's a big deal for me 2 hours up the highway, Red Deer Alberta, nearly 1000 miles off, for 8 weeks would be impossible...

make friends with a local locksmith. Join the Associations in the area, volunteer in the shop on saturdays... learn lots that way if you've got corrospondance behind you.