North Bennet Street School: The Epitome of What a Locksmith School Should Be

North Bennet Street School (NBSS) offers a wide variety of vocational training programs including bookbinding, carpentry, jewelry making, piano technology, preservation carpentry, violin making and locksmithing. The school has been an “Education in Craftsmanship” since 1885. The North Bennet Street School mission in part is to; “train students for careers in traditional trades that use hand skills in concert with evolving technology.”  

Children in many countries are given aptitude tests at approximately the junior high age level. Based on test results, the final years of public schooling focus either on a vocation of interest to the student or on intellectual pursuits in preparation for college. 

In comparison, during the last few decades there has been a tendency for most students in the USA to automatically expect a continuation of their education at a college or university after high school. This has resulted in a crowded job market for many white collar positions and a scarcity of people skilled in vocational occupations. This imbalance has created a demand for skilled vocational workers.

For over 100 years North Bennet Street School has recognized the importance of skilled vocational workers. They also recognize the complexity of technical skills required to be a locksmith and equally rank locksmithing with other highly skilled vocations they offer.

The North Bennet Street School locksmith training program is headed by David Troiano. Mr. Troiano has a wide background which includes teaching in the Boston school system before accepting a job in 1965 at a locksmith business owned by Sidney Schwartz. (Mr. Schwartz is now the President of Security Lock Distributors).  Mr. Troiano went on in 1970 to purchase Aborn Lock Company which his family still owns and operates today.

Mr. Troiano divides his time between operating his locksmith business and teaching a full-time locksmithing course at North Bennet Street School. Students and graduates from NBSS are often employed at his locksmith business where they receive hands-on experience.
The comprehensive, nine month locksmith course offered by NBSS covers all phases of locksmithing. The curriculum includes:

•           Key machinist (adjusting and using key machines)
•           Shop Locksmith (lock opening and hand fitting of keys)
•           Keys by Code (using code books and code machines) 
•           Lock Servicing and Repair
•           Master Keying (developing master key systems)
•           IC Core and High Security Cylinder (rekeying  & servicing)
•           Lock Installation (mortise, rim, cylindrical and exit devices)
•           Safe Manipulation and Servicing
•           Alarm Locks and Access Control (battery and hard-wired)
•           Auxiliary Hardware (door closers, flush bolts, etc.)
•           Automotive Lock Servicing (key fitting, lockouts)
•           Setting up a locksmith business (inventory control, etc.)   

Students will spend from two to five weeks on each section of the locksmithing course. Students are expected to either service or install several different products during each course section. As example; each student will set up 75-100 cylinders during the master key course, plus service and open 15-20 safes during the safe servicing course.

Students completing the locksmith curriculum at North Bennet Street School receive a comprehensive, wide ranging and in-depth training course, making them immediately ready to enter our field. 

According to a report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, one of the fastest growing maintenance and repair occupations is in the locksmith and safe servicing category. Jobs in this category are expected to grow by 22% in the 2006 to 2016 time period. With such an expected growth rate, perhaps one of the NBSS graduates could be your next new employee.

For further information on the North Bennet Street School locksmith program, contact Director of Admissions Robert Delaney at 617-227-0155 or visit the web site www.nbss.org