Thursday, June 6th, 2013 8:03am by Terence Leahy

How to become a locksmith

If you want to become a locksmith, you will need to learn the trade and get qualified. Our illustration below will give you some idea of the various steps involved

If you have ever wondered about how to become a locksmith, what qualifications are required, and whats generally involved in the day to day life of a locksmith, then this short guide will help to shed some light on things.

Firstly, you do need to get qualified. Many colleges now run courses in Locksmithing but the real experience and learning comes from hands on experience. An internship or apprenticeship is the ideal way to start your career and learn directly from an industry professional. College will be mandatory to sit a few tests but is usually not more than once a week.

In terms of what you can expect from the day to day roll of a locksmith varies. No 2 days are the same and 9 times out of 10 you have to be prepared to work some pretty antisocial hours. People get locked out in the middle of the night as well as during the day and if you want to keep your customers happy, you phone better stay switched on!

Being a locksmith requires skill and a good eye for detail. You will be picking very small, often quite fiddly lock mechanisms so a steady hand is also required. No job will be the same as ever lock made is unique so you will need the skills to adapt, learn and change as necessary in order to provide efficient service.

All in all, its a rewarding career – take the right steps to join a good firm, learn the ropes and study hard and your career as a locksmith will be as rewarding as mine has to date

Terence Leahy, Master Locksmith (20+ years in the business)