EDUCATION An Ever- Changing Field ALOA Education Manager Jim Hancock, CML, CMST, discusses the changes in the automotive field — and how ALOA has kept up. W 54 hether it’s a Hot Rod Lincoln or a Rocket 88, a Little Deuce Coup or a G.T.O., the world of automotive locksmith- ing has changed so very rapidly over the past 15 to 20 years more than it did in probably the first 100 years of the auto’s existence. The days of opening your fine 409 with a Slim Jim or impressioning a lost key for a V-8 Ford are pretty much long gone. When the Little Red Corvette rolled off the assembly line with the first-generation VATS system in place, locksmiths could no longer dabble in auto work. There had to be much more focus and emphasis put into keeping up with the technology of the locking and secu rity systems being placed in the modern automobile. 2-Track, 4-Track, Tibbe, VATS MATS, VATS II, Passkey, transponder, pin codes, EEPROMs and on and on. Make some of us old-school locksmiths reminisce about the days when you jumped i your Low Rider and raced some Little Old Lady from Pasadena to Deadman’s Curve Today, it is imperative for the locksmith who does some automotive work or th locksmith who specializes automotive work exclusively to stay up to date on th KEYNOTES NOVEMBER 2018 latest technology. ALOA has certainly recognized this and has enlisted some of the finest locksmith minds to help create a specialized track of learning geared to the automotive locksmith. These classes are updated frequently so the training remains cutting edge. And, much like the training, the certification testing (the Certified Automotive Locksmith CAL and the new Certified Master Automo- tive Locksmith CMAL) has changed as well. The CAL is geared more to today’s automobiles and their technology. No more questions regarding a 1963 Al- pha Romeo or Hurd keys. The CMAL is more inclusive and will indeed have questions regarding old technology and key systems as well as some of the newer systems. So, whether you prefer to take a Slow Ride or you Can’t Drive 55, jump into your Pink Cadillac or Merecedes Benz, Roll On Down the Highway and update your training with ALOA Automotive training at the ALOA 2019 Conference in Las Vegas or in Dallas, Texas, at the ALOA Training Center. (Gotta give props to the songs in the or- der they appear: Hot Rod Lincoln — Com- mander Cody, Rocket 88 — Jackie Bren- ston and the Delta Cat, Little Deuce Coupe — Beach Boys, G.T.O. — Ronny and the Daytonas, V-8 Ford — Buddy Moss, Lit- tle Red Corvette — Prince, Low Rider — War, Little Old Lady from Pasadena — Jan&Dean, Slow Ride — Foghat, Can’t Drive 55 — Sammy Hagar, Pink Cadillac — Bruce Springsteen, Merecedes Benz — Janis Joplin, Roll On Down the Highway — Bachman Turner Overdrive) Hancock, CML, CMST, ALOA’s educat ion ager. You can reach m at [email protected] or 819-9733. WWW.ALOA.ORG
