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Locksmith Profession

If you don't have a clue which profession you should pursue next, locksmithing is a great, yet underrated, career to bring to your attention. Here is everything you should know about locksmith as a profession in the USA.  We know the first criteria that come to pursuing any career when you have no particular profession in mind are its scope and the amount of money you can earn. Isn’t it? For this reason, we are mentioning it in the very beginning.

Skills Needed To Become A Locksmith

Want to pursue locksmithing but not sure if that will suit your skills or not? Here are some of the personal skills needed to be a locksmith that can help you out of locksmithing is your cup of tea or not.

  • It requires you to be super attentive and focused
  • The ability to perform under pressure effectively and quickly
  • Requires you to be very patient
  • Be focused on a certain task without losing interest until the tasks are finished
  • To take proper care of the tools and equipment used along with the paperwork
  • Be capable enough to deal with big and small tools

Locksmith Salary Expectations

Depending on the state and the level of experience, the earning of a locksmith can vary. However, a standard rate fixed for average hourly work for a locksmith is about $25.  Moreover, as you gain experience and increase your level of expertise, you could even earn around $50,000 annually. If your skills and experience speak volumes, you can even earn more than that.  If you think that is good enough for you, here is everything you need to know for pursuing locksmith as a profession

What Does a Locksmith Do?

A locksmith is needed to repair different locks, make duplicate keys of them, and install the digitalized and other locks in the commercial and residential areas.  They may also be called upon for rescuing someone who has locked themselves in a room or a vehicle. Locksmithing is a job with detailed work opportunities. Here are some of the differential jobs they do:

Automotive locksmith - specialized in dealing with locks of the cars and everything related

Forensic locksmith - specializes in the investigation and follows law enforcement officials on similar duties

Installation and servicing - locks, door hinges, keys, safe deposit boxes locks, door closers, etc

Key - impressioning, making duplicate keys, and cutting originals

How To Be A Locksmith?

To become a licensed locksmith, you don’t require a particular degree. All you need is to complete a training program. Here are the keys to becoming a locksmith

Get Training

For pursuing locksmith as a profession, you can get locksmith training from community colleges, locksmithing associations like TLA, or vocational schools.  The training period can last anywhere from around three months to four years, depending on your chosen training course. The least time duration required could be six months that includes the basic training of being a locksmith. Those who want to excel in home security systems and learn other complicated lock systems would require at least 12 months of training.

Gain Experience

Once you completed your locksmith training, you need to gain experience in the field to obtain the license. You can gain experience either by approaching the local locksmith business or being placed somewhere through the association or college you gain training from.  You need to obtain a full year of work experience, at least to be able to receive a designated license.

Obtain a License

You are much closer to receiving a license if you received the work experience as desired.  Licensing requirements may differ from state to state. You can check the licensing requirements of your state to know the right requirements. Most states' general procedure includes submission of an application, background check, and submission of fingerprints.

Get Professional Accreditation

After getting a license, you need to gain professional certification from the American Locksmith of America (ALOA). They provide several professional certifications that you can choose depending on the degree of expertise you desire. These include:

  • ALOA Fundamental locksmith (AFL) - the very basic level of being a locksmith of 6 days
  • Certified Registered Locksmith (CRL) - the first level of certified locksmith
  • Certified Professional Locksmith (CPL) - the second level of a certified locksmith to gain knowledge in specialized areas as well
  • Certified Master Locksmith (CML) - the highest level of certified locksmith that provides knowledge on electronic security as well

To earn the above certifications, the candidate must obtain at least 70% or above in the mandatory and selected electives of the examinations conducted by ALOA.

Join a Professional Organization

If you feel to do so, you can still continue to receive higher education in the field of the locksmith after the above locksmith course as well. However, after receiving certification from ALOA, you can join a professional organization like ALOA itself or any other association that fits best for your state and region. Joining a professional organization has its merits, like continuing education opportunities, insurance options, computer-based testing, industry bonding, etc.

It's Your Turn Now....

So, this is how you can get started with locksmithing and have a stable career. The idea here is to meet the expectations and deliver excellent service to your customers.