50 Keynotes December 2024 aloa.org Our Industry: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow how much they know when they really know very little. To someone trying to learn from this method, they need to take classes so they can tell when the information is beneficial. It is like master keying. You need to take several classes to really learn how to utilize the system. A computer program will give you the cuts, but does not really tell you how to use those cuts in a real system.” John Kieffer also sees both the positive and the negative in having industry information on the internet. John said that he was initially “very opposed to everything that was being posted on the internet,” but now understands that “in most cases, it does help the average locksmith learn, which is great.” Although there is a down- side because posting locksmith know-how on the internet amounts to giving away secrets and compromising security,” John also recognizes that “it’s not going away … ever. This is yet another reason why our industry professionals need to stay vigilant in learning about the latest products and solutions. Locks, safes, cameras, keys … it’s always been a cat-and-mouse game in that once a product is developed, someone will work on trying to defeat it. I don’t feel that has changed, ever. So, my advice is to keep up to date with what is being published on the internet and learn about improvements and solutions to present to your customer base. Even before the internet tools that we have now, locksmiths learned to recognize weaknesses in security products and recommend solutions. Manufacturers need to be keenly aware of this as well, and I believe most are.” Jon Payne does not think that locksmith secrets can stay secret forever, but he also doesn’t think locksmiths should be posting information on YouTube. In his opinion, “One of the underlying principles of great security and encryption is that it cannot rely long term on a ‘secret.’ While I disagree with locksmiths posting information on YouTube and violating our code of ethics in the process, I simply turn it around and use it as a tool to sell higher-security locks.” Tom Demont pointed out that if you are watching YouTube to learn a process, you need to pay close attention to the video, and he also warned that a lot of what we see on YouTube is staged. Tom said, “YouTube training is great, but the watcher needs to pay attention and watch how they are doing the process. When it comes to defeating cylinders, keep in mind that this is a staged event, and the presenter is always going to look good.” Wayne Winton sees a place in the industry for YouTube, but it is not a replacement for trade shows and in-person learning. In Wayne’s opinion, “Now you can get an education through YouTube Univer- sity. I slightly laugh, but it’s true. Honestly, I actually am leading the charge with video-based, on-demand education that I have collected and built throughout my time as a professional locksmith. Honestly, I would like to see more people at live, hands-on professional events like ALOA conventions and SAVTA’s SAFETECH week.” ’I would like to see more people at live, hands-on professional events like ALOA conventions and SAVTA’s SAFETECH week.’
