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Locksmith

A locksmith fits, repairs and opens locks, and helps people who are locked out or want their home or business made more secure. It suits practical, trustworthy people who are good with their hands, enjoy problem-solving and like helping people in a fix.

Locksmith

4

Construction & Trades

AI IMPACT
AI CAN DO4%moving to49%
THE DOOR, NOWB
THE DOOR, 20 YRSD
STARTING PAYnot published
MOAT NOT YET CLASSIFIEDA real score, but the moat is not yet classified. No claim either way.
AI can do very little of this work today
Hands-on work, caring for people and dealing with the real world are among the hardest things to automate, and this job leans on them. We have not yet formally classified its moat, so we make no claim either way, but the exposure score speaks for itself.

The role

The work is fitting and changing locks, gaining entry when people are locked out, repairing and upgrading security, and advising customers on how to keep their property safe. Dexterity, patience and problem-solving matter, along with being honest and trustworthy, since you are given access to people's homes and security.

Many locksmiths are self-employed and on call, which can mean evenings, nights and weekends for emergencies, with income that depends on how busy you are. You travel to jobs with your own tools and van, and being reliable and reachable builds a good reputation.

There is no single legal qualification required, but most locksmiths train through a course or by learning alongside an experienced locksmith, and an apprenticeship route exists. Joining a recognised trade body, getting insurance and a clean background help reassure customers, and a driving licence is usually essential.

Daily responsibilities

  • Fit, change and repair locks
  • Gain entry for locked-out customers
  • Upgrade home and business security
  • Cut keys and replace cylinders
  • Advise customers on security options
  • Travel to jobs with tools and van
  • Manage bookings, callouts and invoices
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AI EXPOSURE = the share of a job's day-to-day tasks AI can already do today, from the same exposure engine used across this site (Anthropic labour market research, 2026, observed real-world AI usage by occupation). Higher means more exposed. It is a measurement of now, not a prediction. THE DOOR = how hard the job is to get into, grade A (easy) to E (extremely hard), from each career's published forecast (OpenAI, "The AI Jobs Transition Framework", Richmond 2026, CC BY 4.0). A card marked MOAT NOT YET CLASSIFIED has a real exposure score but no entry yet in our moat register, so we make no claim about what structurally protects it. Scorecard grades and verdicts are Careermash editorial judgment: we show forecasts as forecasts and own our conclusions. Salary and pathway figures are each career's own published profile. Careermash is a service provided by What School Ltd.

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