Locksmith
Installs, repairs and opens locks — residential, automotive, commercial and safes. In Kenya — where security is a major concern and lock systems are ubiquitous — locksmiths serve homes, businesses and vehicles.
- AI exposure
- 3 of 100, low exposure
- Hiring trend
- Stable
- Hiring rate
- 25%
The role
What the work is, what it pays, and what it costs you.
At a glance
- Remote friendly
- No
- Freelance potential
- High
- Time to senior
- 5 years
A day in the role
Installs a deadbolt lock on a residential door. Cuts duplicate keys for a walk-in customer. Picks a lock for a client locked out of their house. Installs an electronic access control system for an office. Programs a transponder key for a Toyota. Opens a safe with a lost combination. Responds to an emergency car lockout. Advises a business on security lock upgrades.
What it pays
Kenyan market, per month- Entry
- KES 15,000-35,000
- Mid
- KES 40,000-85,000
- Senior
- KES 95,000-220,000
Exposure
How much of this a machine can already do, and how that was worked out.
Where this rating sits
1,516 rated careersRated above 2% of the 1,516 careers in the catalogue, which averages 43. Inside trades & vocational the mean is 11, across 66 careers.
Named task by task
Already automated
- AI-powered lock identification and key code lookup
- Automated key cutting from digital codes
- AI-assisted security assessment for properties
- Generating service quotes and invoices
Still human
- Installing locks — fitting door locks, padlocks, deadbolts, electronic locks, smart locks
- Repairing locks — fixing broken locks, replacing cylinders, repairing mechanisms
- Cutting keys — duplicating keys using key cutting machines, cutting from codes
- Opening locks — picking locks, drilling locks, opening locked doors for clients who lost keys
- Installing security systems — door locks, window locks, safe locks, access control systems
- Automotive locksmithing — opening car doors, cutting car keys, programming transponder keys
- Safe services — opening, repairing, installing safes for homes and businesses
- Emergency services — responding to lockouts (homes, cars, offices), emergency lock changes
Task counts
- Displacing
- Minimal — locksmithing requires manual dexterity, problem-solving and physical access.
- Augmenting
- AI code lookup and security assessment assist but don't replace hands-on work.
Sources
Behind the rating- Kenya security sector
- Kenya lock and key market
- Security companies operations
Getting in
The routes into the role and what each one asks for.
What to study
8 courses- Certificate in Metal Processing TechnologyKsh 42,600a year
- Artisan in Building TechnologyKsh 67,189a year
- Artisan in Carpentry and JoineryKsh 67,189a year
- Artisan in Front Office OperationsKsh 67,189a year
- Artisan in HorticultureKsh 67,189a year
- Artisan in Land SurveyingKsh 67,189a year
- Artisan in MasonryKsh 67,189a year
- Artisan in Refrigeration and Air ConditioningKsh 67,189a year
How people get in
Apprenticeship with locksmith or security company
2-4 yearsLow cost
Learn locksmithing through apprenticeship with an experienced locksmith or security company
Who hires
- Security Companies (G4S, Wells Fargo)
- Lock and Key Shops
- Self-Employed
- Hardware Stores
Common misconceptions
Locksmiths just cut keys
Locksmithing involves lock installation, repair, opening, security assessment, access control systems, automotive keys and safe services — a specialised security trade.
What happens next
How the role changes from here, and where it leads.
Growth outlook
- Net demand change
- +5%
- Over
- 2026-2028
- Drivers
- Security concerns,Smart lock adoption,Construction growth,Automotive key complexity
- Headwinds
- Smart locks reducing traditional lock work,Informal competition
What to learn
- Smart lock and electronic access control installation
- Automotive transponder and keyless entry programming
- Digital security assessment tools
- Biometric lock systems
Related careers
Kenyan market notes
Locksmithing is a specialised security trade in Kenya. Security is a major concern — home security (doors, windows, safes), business security (access control, safes, security locks), and automotive (car keys, transponders). Key employers: security companies (G4S, Wells Fargo — install and maintain locks), lock and key shops (in every town — key cutting and lock sales), self-employed locksmiths (many work independently — mobile services), hardware stores (key cutting services). Key lock types: mortise locks (most common — residential), deadbolts (security — residential and commercial), padlocks (gates, doors), electronic/smart locks (growing — hotels, offices, high-end residential), safe locks (banks, businesses, homes). Key challenges: trust and integrity (locksmiths access security systems — reputation critical), smart locks requiring electronic skills (traditional locksmiths need to upskill), and competition from informal key cutters. Salary: entry KES 15,000-35,000 (apprentice or shop assistant), mid KES 40,000-85,000 (skilled locksmith), senior KES 95,000-220,000+ (locksmith business owner or security specialist). Emergency call-outs charge premium rates — KES 2,000-10,000+ per call.
Further reading
This role is rated 3 out of 100 today. Save it and the app keeps that number, then tells you by how much it has moved when the record is next reviewed.