News Archived to Fall 2010

PLAA Scholarships Awarded at Convention 2010

The Professional Locksmiths Association of Alberta (PLAA) awarded annual scholarships to 4 recipients at its annual Convention & Trade Show in Red Deer, October 16. The scholarships are funded by donations from industry firms and the PLAA's own Scholarship fund. Each firm sponsors one period of training in Alberta's Locksmith Apprenticeship Program. Awards are made to applicants who have completed a period of training and are PLAA members. The PLAA also offers free first year membership to new Apprenticeship students.

The awards were given to:

Sponsored by	Recipient
First Period	Tyler Shagory
Second Period	Megan McDougall
Third Period	Jennifer Henderson
Fourth Period	Andrew Froehler

 

Locksmith Firms are Targets of Identity Theft
The Real Victims are the Consumers

The Professional Locksmiths Association of Alberta (PLAA) has been watching with growing concern, developments in the USA concerning "scams" in which an established Locksmith firm's identity is actually stolen. It's been going on for several years now and just as we anticipated,it has arrived in Western Canada.

Recent CTV news stories from BC's lower mainland tell the familiar story that we've been hearing from the states: a customer accidentally locks him/herself out of a residence, hurriedly finds a Locksmith in the yellow pages and calls for service. An vague estimate is given and accepted, considering the circumstances, and a "Locksmith" is dispatched.

Read the rest of the story on the PLAA's website.

 

Career Expo a Huge Success

The Central Alberta Career Expo, held at Red Deer College April 29, 2010 was a huge success. Mary Baston made the trip from Calgary to help out with the Locksmith "Try a Trade" booth. 4 workstations were laid out for students to try their hand at rekeying a Weiser deadlock and then cut an extra key. Students were bussed in from high schools around Central Alberta and at least 30 of them took us on. We were amazed with the level of enthusiasm and interest.

Internet broadcaster RDTV was there conducting live interviews all day long right in the middle of the action and many of the interviews are slated to be archived and posted for later viewing. Check out RDTV at www.rdtv.ca.

 

Top Apprentice Award for Locksmith, 2008/2009 goes to Jeremy Bryson

Congratulations to Jeremy Bryson of Calgary on being selected as the Locksmith Top Apprentice for 2008/2009 by Alberta Apprenticeship & Industry Training. Jeremy received his award at the 13th annual Apprenticeship & Industry Training Board awards ceremony in Edmonton, March 5.

Jeremy Bryson, CJL with RDC President Joel Ward (Left) and

RDC's Dean of Trades & Manufacturing Technologies, Michael Kulchisky (Right)