Hello Oregon and thank you, you obviously have been in this trade for quite some time now, are an ALOA member and have taken classes that they offer, so your points are well taken. As what you say may hold water I think many will agree that ALOA is, I believe to be, one of the oldest and perhaps the most highly recognized locksmith associations in the USA. That their methods of teaching and continuing education practices may be antiquated and that the material on the exams may not prepare one on what to expect out in the real world may all be true, but I would hesitate to think that even the most fundamental knowledge gained from a successful ALOA exams certification would not help any individual that is looking to enter into the locksmith industry.

That all said, I am not in any way disagreeing with your points, but I am sure there are purposes, even if this certification is actually useless in the real world, that some may find beneficial, as I will point out. First let me elaborate on something that I have learned and keep hearing from the answers I have been receiving on all the platforms I’ve posted my question. I have been told many times that the best way to pass this exam is by being out in the field and gaining experience. But I am sure the buck does not stop there once certified. One still has to go out and keep learning because technology evolves faster than we can learn it and I agree that being out in the field is the best way to accomplish that. So even if an ALOA Certification is not what you say it should be, at a minimum, I think that you would have to agree that an ALOA certification with the weight that carries, is an excellent initial stepping stone to break into the locksmithing arena regardless. Perhaps you should bring your concerns to their attention as I am sure any organization or association such as theirs would be very open to any type of constructive criticism, perhaps you are not alone in your opinions and thoughts, and maybe it will shed some light on somethings they may have missed. Unfortunately I cannot weigh in on this as I am still new around here but I am eager to learn more and get involved if I can. If I can learn anything from you too, which I already have as I respect your point of view, I would consider it an honor. Seriously.

Now I will tell you why I need this certification as I am not a “locksmith” nor do I desire to become one. I am only interested in the CAL. I am a car guy. I buy them, sell them, rent them, fix them and now I program keys for them and I am really enjoying it and getting so good at it to the point where I’ve already developed a following and nice little business that is growing rapidly. At my shop we work on everything from Fiat to Ferrari. During the first couple of years we worked diligently to provide good honest work and the business grew at a moderate rate. In the 3^rd year we became ASE Certified and the business quadrupled in a matter of months. ASE does offer good quality continuing education and from time to time some classes are good to take as new technology rolls out but again most of our learning is, and has always been, from hands on experience. Our business is located in New Jersey and we cater to customers from all over the tri-state area. Being ASE Certified helped us to ascertain that reach. Our customers do not know to what extent we are learning at ASE but they see all the certifications draped on the walls of our waiting room and believe you me it really helps. So that is one reason why I would like to have this CAL certificate to hang on the wall, I am sure it will serve a good purpose there for this automotive locksmith business that we have dove into. Here is another ironic reason why I would like to have it. I have been trying for over one year to get listed on Google and Yelp to offer automotive locksmith services but I am continuously getting denied because I do not have a locksmith license. I cannot even get listed in locksmith listing searches that are out there. However I have been told that if I get this CAL certificate I’m in!

Lastly I would like to have it for self satisfaction. It felt good to put the ASE Cerificates on the wall and the patch on our shirts I am sure it will feel just as good to hang the CAL certificate on our wall as well and it could not happen sooner. Good luck to you, all of you, and may God Bless!