Locksmith Training,
The hidden truths ! The whole Truth. The flooded
locksmiths industry.
Frequently Asked Questions , The Truth
About Training And Setting Up As A Self Employed
Locksmith In The UK. This is FACT !
If we stop
just 1 person from throwing away their life
savings on no more than a pipe dream then
we have done some good for them, but if we
have ensured that those entering this industry
, do so with eyes wide open and knowing exactly
whats required then we have done far more
for you and the industry as a whole , and
that is reward in itself. Now read on :
We get asked the same questions each and
every day about training and the industry
, about set up costs and about qualifications
and status. This has prompted us to list a
page on our site provideing the TRUTH
about setting up in this industry, about earning
potential and what you get from any training
course in the uk outside of the MLA ( the
master locksmith association )
So many hopefull trainee locksmiths try to
get into the industry with rose coloured specs
on , believing its easy to make £1000
to £2000 per week each and every week
following a short course , sadly most waste
their money and either dont bother or fail
quickly , we have decided to tell the truth
on the locksmith industry and the training
you will get across the country, Many clever
firms market themselves in such a way that
they tell you what you want to hear and part
you from your cash. Remember its sales !!
A fact , almost 1000 hopefulls attend locksmith
courses across the country each and every
month , from these hopefulls you will be lucky
if only 10 try to start up when they know
what it costs and what it involves to set
up in this industry , then your lucky still
if 5 are still tradeing 6 months later, so
dont be conned into thinking its an easy and
guaranteed money industry, sadly its not.
Many people out there training in this industry
have little or no occupational experience
in the industry , there are firms offering
training with as little as just 3 months industry
experience, in truth what can you learn from
them, many have such limited experience that
they cannot earn a living from working as
a locksmith so train the gullable instead,
so be carefull on your choice of trainers.
As for recognised and reputeable associations
in the uk , currently only 2 exists, this
is the MLA ( master locksmiths association
) also known as the BLI ( british locksmith
institute ) , and the ICL ( institute of certified
locksmiths ) this is it , beware of cheap
imitations making false claims, you have other
options such as ALOA , but no other uk recognised
association exists to date.
Some of the questions we get asked
on a regular basis are ;
1 ) Can I Easily Earn Over £1000
Per Week Following Training ?
Sadly NO it is doubtfull you will earn 20%
this per week in your first year , it takes
a long time to establish yourself , a good
non destructive locksmith can earn far more,
but not easily , it is more realistic to expect
£200 to £300 per week in your
first year, and then only if your area can
sustain it and you get some contract work,
you will not make a liveing from call outs
alone. anyone who tells you that its easy
money and you can easily earn over £1000
per week is sadly telling you a lie and selling
no more than a dream to part you from your
cash.
2 ) Is It Really A Licence To Print
Money
Again Sadly NO ! , you are often led to believe
that its an easy industry to make your fortune,
along time ago maybe, but not anymore. This
is an extremely hard industry to establish
yourself in, it costs a fortune to set up
in properly and can take years to see your
investment start to pay. But its one of the
most interesting and enjoyable trades to get
into, but if you are to succeed it is a vocation,
it costs a fortune and takes alot of hard
work and years of continued training and practice
to become a success, but once established
there is no finer way to make a living and
few jobs that offer the satisfaction as this
industry.
There is no easy way to make it as a locksmith
and no short cuts, its hard at first but worth
it in the end if done right.
3 ) Can You Really Set Up On A Shoestring
Following Training
A few have been lucky, but as a rule sadly
NO ! , dependent upon which area of the industry
you wish to enter then i list below the figures
you should consider as your minimum start
up capital, without this minimum figure it
is extremely unlikely that you will succeed,
despite what some may tell you;
DOMESTIC AND COMMERCIAL LOCKSMITH
( homes and business locks )
The minimum start up capital you will require
to have any chance of succeeding is a minimum
start up capital of £10,000 , and i
must reiterate that this is a minimum that
you will need for your initial stock , picks
, tools and advertiseing to get going.
AUTO LOCKSMITH
the minimum start up figure you will need
to have any chance in succeeding in this area
is £25,000 and again this is a minimum
figure.
SAFE ENGINEER ( opening safes )
the minimum you will require for this sector
is £30,000
these are all realistic minimum start up
investments that you would need to succeed
in each sector of industry, and even then
success cannot be assured, alot still comes
down to you.
4 ) Will I Be An Expert Locksmith
Following A Training Course
Again NO ! it is naieve to believe that this
is possible , despite what you may be told
, all any short course can teach you is the
methods of entry , you should learn all methods
of entry though sadly on many courses you
dont , As stated you will learn the methods
of entry, though its doubtfull that on any
course you will become good or even competent
at any of them, this is down to you and your
own commitment and of course your investment
in your tools , you can be taught the methods
but only you can get good at them by hours
and weeks of dedicated practice, once learnt
you must perfect and build on the basic skills
you learn.
Any good course will teach you the basics,
an understanding of the locks , the picks
and how they work, you should be taught how
, but its then as stated down to you to perfect
and become competent.
Gaining entry is only part of your becomeing
a locksmith, you will need to take further
courses to perfect you fitting skills and
technical skills to learn the whole trade.
5 ) What Methods Of Entry Should
I Be Taught As An Absolute Minimum
You should have hands on experience ( you
doing not being demonstrated to ) of picking
the following lock types;
Pin Tumblers , Euro Cylinders , Oval Cylinders
, multi lock in fact most types of pin cylinder
, wafer locks , tubular locks padlocks includeing
chubb cruiser lever padlocks , cam locks ,
garage door locks , digital locks , 2 lever
, 3 lever , 5 lever and BS3621 Lever Locks
including chubb , era , legge , union , assec
, securefast mortce locks, and you should
be taught the picking of these locks, all
of them.
you should be taught and get hands on training
with the following tools as a minimum;
Hand picks, electric pick guns , impressioning
tools , letterbox kits , bump / rap keys ,
shims , jiggler keys , mica , plug spinners
, thumb turn turners , bypass tools and wires
, tubular picks , lever wires , 2 in 1 picks
, curtain wheel picks , chubb and legge pin
and cams, era invincible decoders , securefast
pick , plastercine impression and key make
up kits etc , this should be an absolute minimum
content and all hands on, then Lock ID through
the keyway must be covered as its an essential,
and drilling taught only as an absolute last
resort, if you dont get this from your course
and all hands on, then again your being sold
short.
6 ) Will I Be A Fully Qualified /
Accredited Locksmith Following Training ?
Again Sadly No ! , currently within the uk
there are no recognised "formal"
qualifications within the locksmith Industry
, despite how some cleverly package some meaningless
pieces of paper they claim are formal full
qualifications, again NO UK FORMAL
RECOGNISED QUALIFICATIONS CURRENTLY EXIST
despite some clever marketing of non recognised
certification, such as a worthless city and
guilds portfolio certificate with less recognition
than a roll of toilet paper.
you dont need any formal qualifications as
yet to trade as a locksmith, good job as none
yet exist , the nearest thing to a recognised
qualification or accreditation within the
uk is the MLA route to becoming a registered
MASTER LOCKSMITH , not for everyone, but up
to now the only recognised route to any sort
of formal recognition.
this is not to say that some national companies
may recognise a certain trainers certification
as proof of training acceptable to them, but
no true qualification currently exists, and
certainly no qualification offered in a few
days or weeks could be classed as anything
worthwhile by even the most gullable hopefull.
We hope this true depiction of training and
setting up doesnt put too many people off
becoming a locksmith and training and setting
up as a locksmith, though we hope it stops
some from throwing their hard earned savings
away on a pipe dream of easy money from an
easy industry, for those that do continue
into the industry then you do so without those
awful rose coloured spectacles and with your
eyes wide open knowing exactly what to expect.
Key points to remember;
research your area and business plan fully
choose your trainer carefully, ensure they
are experienced locksmiths, as many out there
have less than 1 years experience and some
have little to know experience outside of
a 2 day course.
choose your course carefully , any course
that says it will teach you , domestic and
commercial , autos , electronics and safes
in under 6 months is likely to be no good
to you, it takes 2 to 3 days just to cover
the basics within the domestic/commercial
opening sector without the rest.
avoid the courses that tell you its better
to drill
dont believe the claims of £1000 to
£2000 per week easily earnt. At £50
- £60 per call out thats 2 jobs per
day you will have to take from existing competition.
! Now take expenses out and tax.. etc...
and know what set up will cost you
this is a great and rewarding business to
be in , you never stop learning , but its
a long term career and certainly not a get
rich quick industry , though if properly planned
and well thought out an excellent career choice.
If we stop
just 1 person from throwing away their life
savings on no more than a pipe dream then
we have done some good for them, but if we
have ensured that those entering this industry
, do so with eyes wide open and knowing exactly
whats required then we have done far more
for you and the industry as a whole , and
that is reward in itself.
Please note we do not train novice locksmiths.
Trading locksmiths may wish to do an advanced
locksmith course.
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