Charles Stuart School, New York, NY

• Launched in 1992, the Charles Stuart School touts its status as the only licensed locksmithing school in New York state. Accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology, approved as a vendor for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, fully licensed by the New York State Education Department and certified for federal and state financial aid programs, the course boasts a hands-on approach of "learning by doing." All of its instructors are practicing professionals with up-to-date knowledge, and the school limits class sizes to 18 students. Successful participants leave the course fully licensed by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs.
  
  

North Bennet Street School, Boston, MA

• North Bennet Street School offers an intensive nine-month program that combines classroom theory, lectures, demonstrations with hands-on bench and fieldwork experience. The school also offers short courses in historic locksmithing, with specific training for dealing with antique locks, and master keying, to develop the expertise of those with previous professional experience. North Bennet Street School manages admissions through a year-round interview system for courses commencing in September and February. A master locksmith with more than 30 years' experience runs its program.
  
  

California Institute of Locksmithing, Van Nuys, CA

• The California Institute of Locksmithing is a division of Friedman College and approved by the California Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau for Private, Postsecondary and Vocational Schools. The school invites prospective students to attend a class to experience the learning environment. The institute, running since 1972, offers a 12-week or a two-week intensive course, both of which focus on all of the essential elements of traditional locksmithing, as well as providing special guidance on automotive locksmithing, safes and business management.
  
  

The Phoenix Locksmith Institute, Phoenix, AZ

• Students applying to the Phoenix Locksmith Institute, open since 1997, choose from a one-week Lock Maintenance Workshop, a four-week Locksmith Diploma or a seven-week Certified Locksmith course. All of the courses offer fundamental hands-on instructions in locksmithing, the depth of which grows with the length of the course chosen. The institute guarantees one year of free technical support -- with access to professional advice -- upon completion of the classes. The certified locksmith course includes on-the-job experience alongside a seasoned locksmith and provides insight on running a business. The school also offers a specialized, five-hour emergency lock entry session, popular with emergency service personnel and apartment maintenance staff.