Florist News

roller disco I'm all for giving people a chance, I just said I wouldn't employ someone with no experience as a florist. I would employ them experience as a trainee, just not a florist.

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Sarah Creating Bespoke Wedding Flowers Cheshire

Ok take a look at this;
www.rachellilley.co.uk
then 'press'
then 'woman & home' article on changing careers
scrole down to 'I started a whole new career'
She did one of those intensives. Now she does have a background in fashion which would have obviously helped. A nice chic shop too - no idea how much more experience she had after that. She seems to have made a real go at it?

Roller Disco - if I had a shop I would consider taking you on - it so does depend on your natural flair and ability to pick things up quickly. On the plus side I would be able to train you to my own exacting standards, so no nasty habits!!!!!
Why not contact said person and ask her opinion - perhaps wait till New Year?
Good Luck

Cool - thanks very much Orchidlover, a nice inspiring article! Good idea re. emailing her I may just do that.

Tree - I'm in Surrey. I briefly looked in the C&G - am I right in thinking that as part of the C&G in Floristry, you need need to complete a basic designy-type module first, then you move onto the Floristry part? Or have I got that totally wrong?[/quote]

Yes, there's a design module for both C&G 1 and 2 - in level 1 we only did 3 x sessions and in level 2 we have done 2 in the 1st term so I am guessing there will be 6 x sessions in all. The design sessions are mixed in with the floristry part so in the 10 weeks in term 1, it was something like weeks 3, 5 and 7 that were design - great fun, a bit like being back at school though learning about colour, line, symmetry etc - all principles needed in floristry.

The certificated courses all start in September, so you'll probably have to do short, not certificated courses to start with - I've done quite a few when not on C&G e.g. summer holidays did a hand-tied course and one called celebration flowers. The very 1st one I did 2 years ago was a 1-day course as an introduction to floristry - didn't learn a great deal in 1 day obviously but it was great to go home with something I had created. Good luck and let us know how you get on

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www.treesfloraldesign.co.uk

Ah, I see. Thanks Tree, thats really helpful.

Hi Roller

i my self haven't had the oppertunity to have someone of one of those courses to ask for a job but saying that i prefer nvq trained but as it is i give all interviewees the chance to prove them selfs first so i would offer for them to come in maybe an afternoon so i get to see thier skills (this is something you could offer the florist) but again it is a starting from scratch so it would classed as a trainee and if you think of it from the shops point of view and monies minimum wage is a big factor here if you have a 17 year old on a college couse they only have t paid 80 quid a week as your looking at 200 a week or more so this is a big factor in my eyes
But if this is your dream then my god go for it you don't know what is around the corner for you
you only live once good luck potty xx

Its great Alan to read a post from someone saying they are chuffed to see someone go on and open a shop. From what I read some shops are scared off taking on new people for this very reason.

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Newgirl

Don't think people are scared of staff opening shops as long as they do it honestly and are not there to build up a client list get ideas and then open in oposition to the one they got the training from that is when owners are sceptical. Unfortunately staff loyalty seems to be a thing of the past.

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It's a tricky one newgirl, unfortunately some trainees are literally just using the employer to get a little experience and to steal the customer base so a lot of us are quite wary these days. Obviously not every trainee is the same, but it does make it tough for everyone.

Aha snowdrop you beat me to it - totally agree with you though, these days loyalty does seem to be a thing of the past. Unfortunately it's one of those cases where it's the minority that ruin it for everyone else.