Whether it’s wall decals, DIY signs, or one of the multitudes of what I call “knick knack” decorations from a home goods store, we’ve all seen cute quote decorations like “home sweet home.” Your home is your sanctuary after a long day’s work to relax and spend time with family and loved ones and to separate yourself from the hustle and bustle of the outside world.
One of the most important aspects of a home is feeling safe; with the main line of defense for your home being the lock on your door. Anybody who has the key to your lock has access to not just your house, but also your life. For this reason, we want to know that locksmiths can be trusted. But does that honestly require a government license? To be a locksmith in Tennessee, an individual must pay the government $100, take 30 hours of education, and possess two years of experience. Even worse, once you’ve received government permission to work as a locksmith, you have to take another 12 hours of education every two years and pay an even bigger fee.
Tennessee is the second hardest state in the nation to become a locksmith. Yet, five of the eight states that surround us (Georgia, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kentucky) manage to prevent locksmiths from breaking into people’s homes everywhere without requiring a license at all. Could it be possible there is a better way? Companies in many industries require background checks for their employees, yet do not require a costly and time-consuming license. Some examples include bank employees, teachers, daycare providers, and even locksmiths.
Feeling secure about your children, home, and other possessions is understandable. But background checks for jobs like locksmithing can be done for $30 a pop. Want to make it more expensive? Get government licensing boards involved.