Hey Hey Im back

[dodgechargerrt30]

i know i wasnt very active when i was here all the time but now im back after a short disintrest in the whole lock thing


now that i have realized the error of my ways i will be online more often and i will be more than a hobbiest i think


but i do have a question and it is

has anyone completed or know someone that has completed the PENN FOSTER LOCKSMITHING COURSE

i am going to enroll in it within 3 days i think

they ship all materials to you (books, training aids, picks, even a key machine)
its a 12 month program and takes as little as 9 to complete

price is only 898 total 39 a month...wich is what i think im gonna do since im only 19 and looking for a job currently


thanks for your help in advance,



~DC~

~Marwan~

[zeke79]

My advice?? If you are not planning already, go to college and get a 4 year degree or better, then complete your locksmith course. Always have two outs!

[dodgechargerrt30]

well...that wont really work for me lol i barely got out of highschool (i think i may be lazy .. lol) but i am skilled in alot of things and with the online colleges out there i can go get the locksmithing thing and then DO another of the courses (im semi skilled in computers Ex. ive taken cisco courses, photoshop, flash, dreamweaver, video editing) courses and have a web design certificate wich i dont think means anything but still


i cant go to 4 year college because i hate thoose kind of schools


thanks for the advise


~DC~

[blake1803]

If you think you're "lazy," I get the feeling that "locksmith" may not be the right career choice

Following zeke's line of thinking, though: you might consider going to a 2-year school. Community colleges are sort of stigmatized in the US, but not for any good reason. I don't know which country you're in, but in the US, at least, you could earn college credit while you pursue interests like locksmithing. When you're done you could easily transfer to a 4-year university or decide to go another way. You'd do well to keep all your doors open. Even a BA/BS isn't worth much anymore.

[zeke79]

If you are lazy then let me ask you this question.

Would you rather work hard for 4 or 6 years at school and then enjoy your work and your days fly by making laziness a non issue or would you rather skip college, go straight to work, hate what you do, have to force yourself out of bed everymorning, resist temptation to pull into oncoming traffic to get a few days extra off of work?

Basically you can work hard for 4 to 6 years and have a good, well paying, and most of all FULFILLING career or you can take the easy way out at this time and make everything that much harder for the rest of your life working a menial job for low pay and no/little chance for advancement(unless you go from burger flipper to drive up window attendant to night shift manager at McDonalds).

I am not trying to tell you what to do, just offering advice. You know how everyone tells you something similar to this? Maybe it is because it is true!

Your choice, but make it now before it is too late!

[freakparade3]

As for your question, I looked into Penn Foster along with all the other home courses for locksmithing. All of the research I did led to me taking the Foley Belsaw course. It's a great course in my opinion.

[dodgechargerrt30]

well the FB course cost like 1000 dollars full or 800 on plan of 55 a month

the PF offers the 39 a month wich for me is more affordable


as far as college im not gonna do it as of RIGHT NOW im gonna take a break from just finishing HS

but yes i wont even consider working unless i enjoy the job wich is a reason i choose locksmithing

i see it as a challange that is fun to do


DC

[UWSDWF]

unless of course you call them and then you can get the FB price down to $599...

[Shrub]

Firslt, hey im back??? who the hell are you?

well the FB course cost like 1000 dollars full or 800 on plan of 55 a month

the PF offers the 39 a month wich for me is more affordable


as far as college im not gonna do it as of RIGHT NOW im gonna take a break from just finishing HS

but yes i wont even consider working unless i enjoy the job wich is a reason i choose locksmithing

i see it as a challange that is fun to do


DC

I dont know either course intimatley but have read a lot about them on here,
My thoughts may not be 100% but im sure are close enoiugh to help explain the differance,

I believe the penn foster course is out dated, its reportedly is a supurb course but is just too old now,
The foley course is more recconised and more up to date,

Thast said with no disresepct meant if you cant afford the course being reccomened why do any?
Also if money is tight you really really shouldnt be gogin into locksmithing, do you realise the actual out lay you need to take to just get started? i think your perhaps getting side lined by falser promises of big wages and no set up cost somewhere,

If somthing is more expensive but a lot better than an alternitive then fine your bound to weigh the items up and see why one is more cost than the other, you then make the decision which is the best value for money, you dont simply go for the cheapest one because thats what you can afford, the differance in education could be between you useing a drill to get in a lock and useing picks,

I will repeat what ive said above just incase it didnt go in the first time,

If your short on money then locksmithing IS NOT the type of business you should be thinkiing of setting up,

[Eyes_Only]

i cant go to 4 year college because i hate thoose kind of schools


thanks for the advise


~DC~

I hear you man. I spent nearly 3 years in junior college and even that gets time consuming and takes a lot of dedication. And if you're already proficient in computer work try getting a certificate or AA/AS in something in that field.

I have many friends who only have up to that level of education and they are making a very good living. Only about 21 to 24 but most of them live on their own and one of them (poor guy) has a family now and is doing just fine. Most employers are looking for a person with useful and practical skills that has a good work ethic and any kind of work history and experience anyways.

4 year universities and "higher education" is way over estimated. Trade schools and technical training is where it's at.

[dodgechargerrt30]

in response to shrubs post:


well i know what your saying but i was never caught up in any promises i know its expensive and yes i DONT have all teh money right now but im also unemployed and looking for a job


no one starts out with all the money they need, but with a job and some smart saving you can get the money you need





DC

p.s ....

please dont reply with something such as "you will never get the money you need working a minimum wage job"....because this simply is not a reasonable responce....if you wanted to you could become a millionaire by working at mcdonalds lol although yes it would take ALOT OF TIME

[zeke79]

p.s ....

please dont reply with something such as "you will never get the money you need working a minimum wage job"....because this simply is not a reasonable responce....if you wanted to you could become a millionaire by working at mcdonalds lol although yes it would take ALOT OF TIME

Yup a bit of time at 94 years taking a 40 hour per week at current minimum wage level. This is an income of 15600 per year taking home 10608. You would have to add a 2% average increase for each year to come closer to being truly accurate. This is also based on you taking 68% of your gross wages home.

vs.

26 years at a 55,000 per year job taking home 37400 per year after taxes etc. Once again raises are not factored in but in this area at that level seem to hover in my experience in the 5-7.5%+ range per year.

Both of these estimates make no mention of benifits such as 401k, employer matching (the company I work for matches the first 6% I put into retirement) so that is a 6% increase on top of wages you would get off the bat that is not reflected in the 55,000 salary.

Take into account, alot of big companies also offer competitive bonuses based on overall company performances. Where I work, you can get a 16% bonus depending on company performance on several metrics. The bonus fund can also be funded over 100% too. That means if we get a 16% payout and the fund was funded at 150% that I would actually end up getting a check cut for 24% of my salary for that year. The past three years we have had 14% and two 16% payouts and whatever the funding level was.

Alot of perks for a couple years of school, but this is personal opinion.

Not prodding you at all anymore. Do what you want, but I just gave an example.

[dodgechargerrt30]

mabye im not thinking correctly at the moment....but that didnt have anything to do with what i was talking about


we were talking about how locksmithing is not CHEAP to get started at ...i was saying if i didnt have the money to do it i could work for the 7.00 an hour we get here and save up to open my own business with locksmithing/PC repair


~DC~

[jordyh]

dodgechargerrt30, for your interest, motivation and entertainment: read this article on wikipedia.

Sincerely yours,


Jordy

[zeke79]

And I was trying to make a point of that IF you worked and never spent a single cent you would take five years to raise a startup fund of $50,000 which is not enough. More likely it would take you ten years to raise the $50,000 after living costs, fuel, etc.

I have been trying to go out on my own for 3 years and still dont have everything I need.

I am not trying to beat you down any at all. Just trying to show you how the economics of life works living on your own or living on your own with a family, house payment, car payment, utilities, groceries, taxes on property, insurances, etc.

I will no longer post in this thread as I have said what I can say. I would tell anyone this who has said what you have. Regardless of online or face to face.

Drive from the bad end of your town to the nicest part of your town. Things did not work out that way for most of those people by chance. You get out of life what you are willing to put into it. Nothing more, nothing less.