Locksmiths

High school machine shop classes will provide you with a degree of experience in using a variety of hand tools, some of which may be used in the trade. If you are interested in learning specifically about types of locks and how to work with them, read The Complete Book of Locks and Locksmithing (by Bill Phillips) or other books about the trade that may be available at local libraries or bookstores. You should also watch videos about locksmithing on YouTube.

It is a good idea to contact organizations that are involved with the locksmithing trade. You might request information from the ALOA Security Professionals Association (https://www.aloa.org), whose objective is to educate and provide current information to those involved in the physical security industry. Another method of finding out more about the career is to talk with someone already employed as a locksmith. Suggested interview questions include: What made you want to enter this career? What type of tools and equipment do you use to do your work? What do you like most and least about your job? How did you train for this field? What are some key skills for success as a locksmith? What advice would you give to young people about preparing for the field and being successful on the job? How will advances in technology change the field? Perhaps you could even job-shadow a locksmith to learn even more about the field.