Are you considering a change of career? Does you current job seem insecure at the moment or is it simply leading nowhere and you what to just be your own boss? Hundreds of people every year are choosing self employment in an effort to increase their earnings and make a better future for themselves and their family.  But with so many options available what profession do you choose? Do you start a business? or choose a trade?

Why Choose a Trade?

Choosing a trade can mean you no longer have to work for someone else, you can be your own boss and work your own hours putting you in complete control over your working hours and your income. Work longer hours and earning more money for yourself rather than simple making your boss or your company more money is something many people strive for.

A trade will give you more flexibility around your free time and your leisure time too. But what trade do you choose? Are you good with electrics? Are you good a plumbing? Think about your interests. One benefit of a trade job is that you can make a living off of your interests rather than doing a job that you don't like.

Learning a trade can give you job security, a decent pay check and a chance to grow your career further at a pace to suite you. Choosing the right trade can make all the difference as to whether you succeed or fail in self employment.

Starting a Career as a Professional Locksmith

A locksmith is one of those trades that many people overlook when thinking about a new career but it can be very rewarding and if you're willing to put in the hours you can earn a very good living working as a locksmith.

Should You Choose Commercial, Domestic or Automotive Locksmith Training

When choosing a career as a locksmith its not as straightforward as many people think. You can choose to train as a Commercial and Domestic Locksmith who's roles involves working on domestic or commercial building security, gaining access when people have lost their keys or changing locks at the end of tenancy agreements or after a repossession or police search warrant.

An Automotive locksmith works on vehicle security, gaining access to vehicles when the owner has lost their keys or left them in the ignition and locked the door. Some automotive locksmiths will provide car key cutting and programming too.

A popular career path is to first train as a domestic/commercial locksmith and then once you're trading and earning a decent living increase your skills by training as an automotive locksmith. Many locksmiths take this path because the equipment needed to trade as an auto locksmith is very expensive whereas the equipment needed to trade as a domestic/commercial locksmith is more affordable.

A top of the range car key cutting and programming machine can retail in the thousands so the auto locksmith needs regular car key cutting and programming work to recoup the cost before they can even make a profit.

How Much do Locksmiths Generally Earn?

Like any self employed trade your earnings are directly influenced by the time you put in and how hard you work. If you decide to work a three day week or only choose jobs that are within  a couple of miles of your house then you're not going to earn a great deal of money as a locksmith.

If, However you're willing to work long hours, be available 24/7 and willing to travel as long as the job pays enough then you are going to succeed in the profession and earn lot of money.

Successful locksmiths earn well over 50,000 a year, auto locksmiths considerably more.

Where Do You Training To Become a Locksmith?

So you're considering a career as a locksmith or auto locksmith? Then the correct training is important, choose the wrong course and you're literally throwing money away and your career could fail before it even starts.

How can you choose the wrong course? Aren't all locksmith training course the same?

All locksmith training course are not the same. Unfortunately, the locksmith industry is unregulated which means that anyone can work as a locksmith regardless of what training they have had and because of this there a number of private amateur locksmith training courses advertising online, all claiming to teach you how to become a locksmith. Some of these course are OK, some are poor and a few are just bad.

How do I know That I'm Choosing a Professional Course?

Luckily there are two official locksmith training courses that are government approved and regulated; these are the Level 3 Diploma in Commercial Locksmiths & Property Security and the Level 3 Diploma in Automotive Locksmiths & Vehicle Security.

These are the only two official locksmith training courses available in the UK. They are Ofqual regulated (Ofqual stands for The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation and is a non-ministerial government department that regulates qualifications, exams and tests in England.) and can be taken at a number of approved colleges across the UK.

What's Wrong With The Private Courses?

Some private courses may be quite good but as there is no regulation there is no way to tell how in-depth a private locksmith training course actually is. For every half decent private locksmith training courses there are a number of amateur crash courses that run for a few days created just to cash in of the unregulated industry.

If you're serious about starting a new career as a locksmith or auto locksmith then choose the Ofqual regulated Diplomas and avoid the 3 or 5 day crash courses that will simple teach you a little jargon and give you a crash course on how to drill out a barrel after someone has got locked out.

Most amateur locksmith spend a few months touting for work and then finally realise that they are out of their depth resulting in them either calling it a day or taking the official regulated training course.

Good luck with your new locksmith career.