Have you been wondering what all the job requirements are for a locksmith? It isn’t just about coming to the rescue when you lock yourself out of your car or home. There are many more responsibilities and skills that need to be acquired to be a locksmith. Additionally, so many locks are becoming electronic, so that is a new set of skills they are needing to obtain.
How To Become A Locksmith
To become a locksmith, there is some training that you need to accomplish. You will need to look up the requirements for the state that you live in to know what all you need to do. Every state will vary and have different requirements that they need you to meet to become a locksmith.
For example, the state of Virginia, requires you to have a license in order to be a locksmith. Some states do not require licensing to hold this job position. The steps that you need to accomplish are:
- Begin A Training Program
- Complete A Training Program
- Accept An Apprenticeship
- Redeem A License (If Your State Requires It)
- Begin Working And Evolving Your Skills
Locksmith Skills and Techniques
There is so much more to being a locksmith than just unlocking locked doors. You have to be able to perform many other tasks for the public. Many times, this job means that you work a 24/7 schedule. People may find the need for a locksmith in the middle of the night. Of course, most of the time when you receive a call after normal business hours, there is an emergency fee added to the service.
A locksmith not only can unlock locks, but they can install, repair, sell, and maintain them as well. Some of the many skills, techniques, and abilities that a locksmith needs to have are:
- Able To Install Door Hardware
- Work On Keyless Locks
- Work On Keyless Pads
- Ability To Re-key and Master Key
- Perform Automotive Key Cutting
- Perform Automotive Key Duplication
- Work With Mailbox Locks
- Work With and Sell Safes
- Ability To Unlock Safes
- Install Safes
- Ability To Change Safe Combinations
- Install Panic Hardware
Are Locksmiths Expensive?
The cost of a locksmith will vary greatly for many different reasons. A few of those reasons are experience, location, time, and situation. All of these scenarios can mean a different level of service needing to be done. The length of time that the service takes will also make the price fluctuate.
As a general rule of thumb, you can expect to pay roughly sixty-dollars an hour. This is not considering an after-hours call. The cost for those services can vary from an additional twenty-dollars, to doubling the cost.
Is Locksmithing A Good Job?
Choosing a profession is not an easy task for everyone. It can be a hard decision to make when you are thinking about your future. A locksmith is a reliable and stable job for you to have. But, you need to be ready for long hours and a lot of hard work.
Obviously, with a job like this, the amount of clientele that you have will determine your success. So, with good work ethics and customer service, you can make a great career out of locksmithing.
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