CHOOSINGOne-on-one or a group class? How to choose
Both formats can work. Which one fits depends on what you want to learn, how much you already know, and how you like to learn.
By Nick Brown, working locksmith in Colorado Springs. Updated October 2026. About me
When a group class makes sense
- You want to meet other people learning the same thing.
- You like a fixed schedule and a set curriculum from start to finish.
- You want a program that ends in an exam or a credential from a trade association.
- Sharing the instructor's time doesn't bother you.
When one-on-one makes sense
- You have a specific goal, like rekeying the locks on your own house or understanding how a key gets added to your own car.
- You already know part of the subject and don't want to sit through it.
- You want someone watching your hands the whole time, not splitting attention across a room.
- You'd rather stop and ask the moment something doesn't make sense.
- Your schedule or your travel makes a fixed class date hard.
What you give up with one-on-one
One-on-one time usually costs more per hour than a seat in a group class, because nobody is splitting the instructor's day with you. You hear one person's way of doing the work instead of a room's worth. There's no group of classmates to compare notes with. And there's no exam or credential at the end of the workshops on this site. They're hands-on workshops, not a course. (Also add to the group list: 'You want the lowest cost per hour and don't mind sharing the room.')
Questions to ask any provider before you pay
- Who is actually teaching me, and how many hours of the day will my hands be on the work?
- How many people are working with each instructor?
- What will I be able to do when I leave, in specific tasks?
- Are tools and materials provided, or do I have to buy a kit first?
- What does the whole thing cost, including travel and anything that isn't in the price?
- Is there an exam or a credential at the end, and who recognizes it?
How the workshops here work
Each workshop is one-on-one at my shop in Colorado Springs. Most are a half day (4.5 hours) or a full day (9 hours). For the tuning workshops, message or call for the length. You book them one at a time, in any order. Tools and materials are provided while you train, so there's no kit to buy first. There's no test and no certificate. The details are here.
Coming from out of state? Here's how a trip works.
The workshops
One-on-one, in Colorado Springs
Every workshop is one-on-one at my shop in Colorado Springs. Every workshop is one-on-one at my shop in Colorado Springs. Most are a half day or a full day, and you book them one at a time.
Tell me what you want to learn.
Message the Page, or call me. It's just me, and I'll answer whatever you want to ask first.