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