by Raccoon » 29 Jan 2006 6:49
From what I hear about the UK, it's already hard enough finding a locksmith who bothers picking locks, let alone one who's either willing to sacrifice business to you (as Pinky stated) or whose retired and willing to train you.
My advice would be to explore these forums and learn technique on your own. Locksmithing is pretty straight forward, and most "tricks of the trade" are covered in depth here. Buy some locks to practice on. If you're looking for automotive entry, you can try a asking a local salvage yard if you can spend the day practicing with your tools on their cars.
If you can't find a locksmith to work for, or cover for, then just dive into the business yourself by word of mouth to friends and neighbors. You'll eventually build enough confidence to start your own trade.