Some of the course work you will never need, some you think you would never need but came in handy, and some essential for the job. It really depend on your situation but ideally, in my opinion, a combination of the two is best, shop and college. While at college, if you can do work experience in a few florists, the more the merrier, the more florists you work in the more wide exerience you'll have on different aspects of floristry, as every florist is different. What the students have to take from this is what works for them and create their own style, with a bit of everybody in, if that makes sense