The road to becoming a Certified Journeyman Locksmith (CJL) is a challenging yet rewarding process. That said, there are a few challenges and hoops to jump through (in a specific order) that many other trades don't have.
To make this as simple and painless as possible we have outlined the exact steps required to get you well on your way as well as some very useful resource materials from around the web pertaining to locksmiths in Alberta.
If you're here then this process has already begun. To the right of these expanding sections of steps you will find great information from AIT, Red Deer College, Entrance Requirements and so on. Do take your time to read through this wealth of information. Pretty much all of your questions will be answered within these valuable resource pages. In fact, one of the key components to being a locksmith is knowing your resource materials and where to look for information. :-)
Don't forget in order to become a locksmith you will need to have clean criminal record (more on this later)
Depending on the area you reside, this may or may not be an easy task. There are many rural companies that are quite small and family run that just aren't hiring. If you find yourself in this situation you can always see if these smaller companies are willing to entertain letting you volunteer. If this isn't an option then you will need to look to bigger centers for employment. For a list of trusted locksmiths Click Here
Once you are employed you will need to sign up with Alberta Apprenticeship & Industry Training to become a regitered apprentice and start your contract of apprenticeship with your employer. To sign-up you need to create an online profile and sign up at My Trade Secrets then wait for your acceptance letter, apprenticeship card record book (blue book) to arrive.
After you have signed up with AIT to become an apprentice wait 1-2 weeks then goto your local police detachment to request a criminal record check. If you are in a small rural area then your agency will be the RCMP. If you live in a bigger urban center that has its own municipal police force then you will need to go to them (the RCMP will turn you away if you try to use them in a bigger center that has their own police force).
The reason for waiting 1-2 weeks is that it takes some time for both AIT to register you and mail everything to you and often the police can take a week or so to get you your crim check back as well. By waiting you should be able to time these two items arriving around the same time. You can also opt to pay extra (at participating police detachments) to expedite your crim check.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT CRIMINAL CHECKING
Ensure you check off all 3 options on your criminal check otherwise you will need to start all over and pay again too. The 3 items you need to request information on are:
- Local Database
- CPIC
- Vulnerable Sector
In the rare and unfortunate event that the police request fingerprinting you will need to go back to the detachment to have this done. This will cost more money and more time and although a pain it's a requirement you cannot avoid. This is rare and only happens when someone else in Canada has a serious criminal offense and happens to share the same birthday with you. The only way to positively identify you (or clear you in this case) is via fingerprinting. A criminal can change their name but not their birthday so if you were born the same day then this will simply be something you need to do (and redo when renewing your licenses).
Go anywhere that does passport photos and get your photo taken. When requesting this from your photographer simply tell them it's for a Canadian Passport and they will crop it accordingly. It does NOT need the typical stamping done on the back of the photo however it will need the date. You can explain to them afterwards it's actually for a work ID but for simplicity it's easier to just ask for a passport photo at first then explain the rest after it's printed.
Take your photo to a police detachment to have an officer sign the back of it to verify the true likeness. It's best to use the same police agency you used for your crim check however you can likely take it to any agency as they are simply verifying it visually and any officer can do this step. You will need them to print and sign their name and include their rank and badge number. You will see in the next step there is more information on this from the solicitor general application form
This is a license provided by the solictor general and is required for employment as a locksmith in Alberta. In order to get this license you will need to provide proof of registration as an Apprentice. This will be in the form of the letter you receive from AIT. You will also need a letter from your sponsoring employer indicating you are working for a reputable and licensed establishment. Submit: your original criminal record check, photocopy of your birth certificate, Canadian passport or native status card, signed passport photo.
The apprentice SSIA license is good for 4 years unlike everyone else whose is only good for 2 years. For apprentices there is NO FEE
The link to the SSIA information can be found here
As of July 2018 the form for a new applicant can be found here
Once you have received all your paperwork, blue book, SSIA license then you can legally start working as a locksmith in Alberta. Some shops may hire you doing remedial tasks that do not pertain to locksmithing at all while waiting for this whole process to be completed. Do note it can take 1-3 months to complete all this. Generally it's only 1 - 1.5 months but if there are errors or fingerprinting required it can cause delays. The important thing to remember is not to let your criminal check or photo expire before sending to solictor generals. Remember, it may sit on their desk for a while before they look at it and if anything has expired they WILL REJECT IT.
Now that all the major hurdles are behind you you can start to focus on working and training. The locksmith trade is a 3 period trade and is only available from Red Deer College in Alberta. You will need to sign up for training and need to be progressing in order to maintain your apprenticeship status and SSIA clearance. Your two options for training are either standard block (in class) or distance delivery. There are checks and balances in place to ensure progression so be prepared to go over timelines and plans especially if taking distance delivery. Training in Alberta is subsidized and people that aren't interested in actually training or progressing are removed to make way for those that are serious.
With each period of schooling you will need 1560 on the job work hours to fully complete a period and progress to the next one. After 3 years of successful schooling and appropriate hours you will be granted a Certified Journeyman Certificate and earn the letters CJL behind your name.
As a Certified Journeyman Locksmith you will be able to open your own business if you desire and will be able to continue onto further training such as Blue Seal Training (business competencies). As of this writing there is no red seal designation for the locksmith trade in Canada.
