At present, there are estimated to be more than 6,500 locksmiths working in the UK.
Locksmithing is one of the oldest known professions in the world, characterised by the making and repairing of locks and security systems.
Nowadays, locksmiths may be commercial, mobile, institutional or investigative. Some specialise in just one area, such as an automotive lock specialist or a safe technician.
Client security and confidence is paramount to the continuing success of industry professionals.
To highlight the professionalism of the industry and to provide reassurance to customers, Highfield Qualifications has worked with leading locksmithing experts to develop two new, Ofqual-regulated qualifications:
Highfield Level 3 Diploma for Commercial Locksmiths and Property Security
Highfield Level 3 Diploma for Automotive Locksmiths and Vehicle Security
These qualifications mark a major change within the industry, ensuring a nationally recognised standard of training for the locksmith and building security sectors.
The objective of these qualifications is to provide learners with an understanding of the responsibilities and practices of locksmiths and security engineers. Learners will gain knowledge of preparing and maintaining equipment, customers’ keys and records; diagnosing and rectifying faults on domestic security devices and door hardware; the principles, opening methods and installation techniques of different lock types and much more.
Highfield Qualifications are one of the UK’s leading awarding organisations for compliance qualifications. They provide over 250 work-based learning, apprenticeship and compliance qualifications to thousands of approved training centres across 50 countries.
An event to launch the new qualifications is to be held by Highfield at Manchester Metropolitan University on Wednesday 9 October, where press and industry leaders will find out more about Highfield’s development of the qualifications and what the future holds for the locksmith and building security industries.
Jacqueline Crawford, COO at CORGI Fenestration, will deliver her presentation on ‘The need for a qualified workforce’. CORGI Fenestration have been campaigning employers across the fenestration sector to use qualified individuals for a number of years. Her presentation will discuss the current climate of the domestic and commercial fenestration market, why the new qualifications by Highfield are a great opportunity for the locksmith sector and what challenges the future might hold for the construction sector in general.
Lastly, Dr Alhussein Albarbar, Reader at the School of Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, will deliver his presentation, ‘Locking and Security Systems in the Internet of Things Age’. It will summarise the research and development projects currently taking place in the Department of Engineering at MMU and other exciting collaborative research projects within the industry.
Places at the launch event on Wednesday 9 October are limited. If you are interested in attending, please email events@highfield.co.uk
For information about becoming an approved training centre and delivering qualifications with Highfield, call 01302 363277 or email info@highfield.co.uk