Correspondence Courses ?
Q: I have a few questions about the level of expertise to be gained by
completing one of the various correspondence courses offered in
locksmithing.
Is Foley-Belsaw considered the standard by which all others are judged?
Will completing a correspondence course enable me to enter the field as
an independent locksmith without making a fool of myself? Have any of
you successfully "hung a shingle" after completing a correspondence
course?
A:They are just the best know. They've marketed in everything from
magazines to matchbooks. They are IMHO, no better or worse than any other
correspondence course.
No. A correspondence course alone will teach you enough to make you
dangerous.
While I'm sure some have been so lucky, most find that jumping in with both
feet without having someone to go to for help, ends up frustrating at best
and potentially life threatening to their customers at worse. AFAIK, corr.
courses don't do into a lot of detail on things like Life Safety codes an
what to do when thing don't go as planned.
I'm not saying don't take the course. Just, if you do, join a local
association or at the very least, find a local *experienced* locksmith who
is willing to take you under his (or her) wing. That way when you do get in
over your head, (and you will), you'll have someone to turn to for immediate
help.
As Keyman said, apprenticeship