Tag: locksmith

  • Career Profile: Locksmith

    Career Profile: Locksmith

    Locks and keys have been around for thousands of years, almost as long as people have had belongings they wanted to protect. Ancient Egyptians and Assyrians had locks, and many wealthy Romans would wear key rings around their fingers as a sign of wealth. Locks have changed a lot over the centuries, and electronic locks are adding new challenges to the task of keeping belongings safe. Throughout all of these changes, however, the locksmith trade has been essential.

    Whenever people have locks, they need a locksmith to keep everything working the way that it should. Some locksmiths in Canada learn the necessary skills by studying at a school like the Academy of Locksmithing in Ontario. They learn about different types of locks and about the hardware (doorknobs, etc.) that goes along with a lock. They learn how to duplicate and cut keys and find out how to fix problems, such as when a key breaks off in a lock. Through an official program like this one, students learn the basics of what they need to know to get work in their field.

    Getting experience on the job can be just as important as learning in a classroom. Many people work as apprentices with experienced locksmiths so that they can learn on the job and see what it is really like. That can be especially important for locksmiths who install security systems or other complicated devices.

    Once they learn the necessary skills and become known to their clients, locksmiths can make quite a good living. In Canada, the median (middle) wage is $32,000 per year, but some people can make a lot more or a lot less. If you want to become a locksmith, it is important to develop your skills as much as possible so that you can advance in your trade.

    Besides the basic knowledge of how locks work, locksmiths need to develop other skills. Because they work with their hands on very small objects, they need to have good coordination and abilities with their fingers. They should be able to work alone but also to be able to communicate well with customers. They should be prepared to work all kinds of hours, sometimes even at night when there are emergencies and people need to get through locked doors.

    Locksmithing is very detailed work, and people in this trade have to be able to make sure that every part of each lock is in place. Keeping detailed records of customers is also essential, especially for locksmiths who run their own businesses. Problem-solving is a good skill to have for repairing locks, and patience is important for taking the time to make sure that everything is working properly.

    Working with locks can be a good job for people who have the types of skills and personal characteristics that the job requires. Do you think that you would have enough patience and attention to detail? If so, maybe you should consider becoming a locksmith.

    Bibliography:

    Canadian Universities.net. Profile of Academy of Lockmithing.” http://www.canadian-universities.net/Career-Colleges/Academy_of_Locksmithing.html

    Careers.org. “Occupation Profile for Locksmiths and Safe Repairers.”
    http://www.careers.org/occupations/49-9094.00/locksmiths-and-safe-repairers.
    Government of Alberta. “Occupational Profile: Locksmith.” http://occinfo.alis.alberta.ca/occinfopreview/info/browse-occupations/occupation-profile.html?id=71003092.
    Joblense.com. “Career Profile: Locksmith.” http://www.joblense.com/career-description/technical-careers/career-profile-locksmith-2/.
    Monster.ca. “Locksmith.” http://jobview.monster.ca/Locksmith-Job-Oshawa-ON-CA-151563375.aspx?jobPosition=1.
    Wikipedia.org. “Lock (security device).” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_%28security_device%29

  • Career Profile: Locksmith

    Career Profile: Locksmith

    Locks and keys have been around for thousands of years, almost as long as people have had belongings they wanted to protect. Ancient Egyptians and Assyrians had locks, and many wealthy Romans would wear key rings around their fingers as a sign of wealth. Locks have changed a lot over the centuries, and electronic locks are adding new challenges to the task of keeping belongings safe. Throughout all of these changes, however, the locksmith trade has been essential.

    Whenever people have locks, they need a locksmith to keep everything working the way that it should. Some locksmiths in Canada learn the necessary skills by studying at a school like the Academy of Locksmithing in Ontario. They learn about different types of locks and about the hardware (doorknobs, etc.) that goes along with a lock. They learn how to duplicate and cut keys and find out how to fix problems, such as when a key breaks off in a lock. Through an official program like this one, students learn the basics of what they need to know to get work in their field.

    Getting experience on the job can be just as important as learning in a classroom. Many people work as apprentices with experienced locksmiths so that they can learn on the job and see what it is really like. That can be especially important for locksmiths who install security systems or other complicated devices.

    Once they learn the necessary skills and become known to their clients, locksmiths can make quite a good living. In Canada, the median (middle) wage is $32,000 per year, but some people can make a lot more or a lot less. If you want to become a locksmith, it is important to develop your skills as much as possible so that you can advance in your trade.

    Besides the basic knowledge of how locks work, locksmiths need to develop other skills. Because they work with their hands on very small objects, they need to have good coordination and abilities with their fingers. They should be able to work alone but also to be able to communicate well with customers. They should be prepared to work all kinds of hours, sometimes even at night when there are emergencies and people need to get through locked doors.

    Locksmithing is very detailed work, and people in this trade have to be able to make sure that every part of each lock is in place. Keeping detailed records of customers is also essential, especially for locksmiths who run their own businesses. Problem-solving is a good skill to have for repairing locks, and patience is important for taking the time to make sure that everything is working properly.

    Working with locks can be a good job for people who have the types of skills and personal characteristics that the job requires. Do you think that you would have enough patience and attention to detail? If so, maybe you should consider becoming a locksmith.

     

    Bibliography:

    Canadian Universities.net. Profile of Academy of Lockmithing.” http://www.canadian-universities.net/Career-Colleges/Academy_of_Locksmithing.html

    Careers.org. “Occupation Profile for Locksmiths and Safe Repairers.”

    http://www.careers.org/occupations/49-9094.00/locksmiths-and-safe-repairers.

    Government of Alberta. “Occupational Profile: Locksmith.” http://occinfo.alis.alberta.ca/occinfopreview/info/browse-occupations/occupation-profile.html?id=71003092.

    Joblense.com. “Career Profile: Locksmith.” http://www.joblense.com/career-description/technical-careers/career-profile-locksmith-2/.

    Monster.ca. “Locksmith.” http://jobview.monster.ca/Locksmith-Job-Oshawa-ON-CA-151563375.aspx?jobPosition=1.

    Wikipedia.org. “Lock (security device).” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_%28security_device%29

  • Career Profile: Locksmith

    When people need help, they have to call the right person. If they need to go somewhere, they might call a taxi service or get a ride from a friend. When they lose their keys or lock themselves out of the house, they call a locksmith for help. Locksmiths or lock technicians are tradespeople who are experts on everything related to locks, keys, and security. Becoming a locksmith is a good career choice for people who enjoy puzzles and working with their hands.

    Have you ever thought about the many different skills that go into working with locks? Becoming a locksmith involves learning about how to make keys that fit only one lock and how to repair broken locks or doors. Sometimes this might also mean that people have to learn how to replace doors and hinges as well as installing new locks. These days, working as a locksmith also requires some knowledge of electronic and keyless locks that use number or letter codes. As technology changes, locksmiths need to learn new techniques to keep up with what customers might want.

    Learning all of these techniques takes a combination of education and experience. Some people attend classes at locksmith academies, where they learn about key cutting, lock types, and other topics related to their work. Others go straight to an apprenticeship for the trade. Being an apprentice allows them to learn from people who are experienced in the work while also practicing their skills. Locksmith work can require a lot of delicate manipulation of small metal parts, and being able to practice this work is essential for learning the necessary skills. Many locksmiths also need to know basic accounting or bookkeeping skills and learn how to run a business. Receiving a certificate in the trade is also necessary in many parts of Canada.

    Keeping up with the latest locksmithing information is important, and many working locksmiths participate in workshops and seminars, as well as reading magazines related to their trade. Some locksmiths work as employees of companies, but many of them have their own businesses or work together with one or two other people. Generally, they work regular hours, but they might need to work evenings or weekends in case of emergency.

    Depending on where and how much they work, locksmiths make between about $24,000 and $55,000 per year. Most locksmiths stay in the job for under twenty years. Locksmiths work in a wide variety of conditions, often in small, confined spaces. The ability to use tools to work with very small moving parts of a lock is important, and good vision (with or without glasses) for close-up work is helpful.

    Almost every building has locks that need the services of a locksmith at some point. Jobs availability can depend on many factors, such as the number of older workers who are retiring and the size of the town or city where the locksmith lives. If you have the patience and skills to work with locks, you might eventually become part of this trade.