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How to become a Locksmith

Locksmith

Career progression and salary expectations for a Locksmith

1

Trainee Locksmith

| Up to £12,000
2

Locksmith

| Up to £24,000

The role of a Locksmith

Looking to unlock the key to your perfect career, break into a brand new industry, or hear various other puns? You should be a Locksmith…Locksmiths make, sell, maintain and fit locks for businesses and members of the public. They may also help with entry into a property or secured object, in cases where the key is broken or lost.For the modern-day Locksmith, their work often isn’t always limited to the world of locks either. In fact, everything from key-cutting to installing CCTV systems and safes comes under their remit. For a Locksmith, safety always comes first.Typical duties for a Locksmith may include:
  • Preparing quotes and costing-up jobs
  • Installing and changing locks
  • Repairing faulty or damaged units
  • Picking locks to help people gain entry back into their property, such as their car or house
  • Selling and installing safes, CCTV, and other security systems
  • Cutting keys
To become a Locksmith, you will need excellent customer service skills, first and foremost.You may be dealing with distressed members of the public, desperate to get back into their property, or looking to secure their house after a recent break-in, and being able to deal with them with tact and empathy will be incredibly important.Being a Locksmith is a powerful position, but with great power, comes great responsibility. Mainly, that responsibility is not to cause any unnecessary damage. Also, not break into places. That too…Other key attributes for aspiring Locksmiths include:
  • Manual dexterity
  • Patience
  • Flexibility
  • A calm head under pressure
  • Excellent problem-solving skills
  • An openness to working late shifts, or on call
"A typical day for me basically revolves around being on call. Someone will give me a ring with the job they want done, and fill me in with a few details. I’ll then give them a quote, and they’ll give me the go-ahead to get cracking. A job will usually take around an hour, if it’s not too complicated, and then it’s back to the shop to get on with all the other bits. It’s quite a gratifying job when you get everything right, especially if helping people that are in trouble or changing the locks on a brand new home. You also get to sort out other stuff, like faulty security alarms that keep going off. That’s probably more annoying…"

Get qualified as a Locksmith

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