Locksmith
What the work is
Installs and maintains locks and related security devices and systems.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Inspects and assesses security requirements of premises
- Installs locks, deadbolts and other security devices on doors, windows and other entry points
- Repairs and maintains locks and security systems
- Cuts and duplicates keys
- Changes lock combinations and codes
- Installs and maintains electronic security systems, such as alarms and access control systems
- Provides advice and recommendations to clients on security measures
- Responds to emergency lockouts and provides lockout services
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a small locksmith and key-cutting shop with a work van, in a fictional suburban shopping strip. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A stuck lock opens, a relieved person walks in and you are the one who made it happen
- A new lock fits perfectly and turns smoothly on the first try
- A tricky key cut by hand that works the first time
Hard days
- A call-out late at night to a stranger in a stressful situation
- Being asked to open something and having to check carefully that the person has a right to it
- A lock that has been forced or damaged and a customer who is upset about it
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 332334, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.