Florist News

Hello all

I’ve been lurking on here recently but have summoned up the courage to post!

I’m an aspiring florist hoping to make the career change in the next year or so. I’ve been working at a publishing company for the last 7 years but am bored stiff and plan to re-train so I can fulfil my dream of becoming a florist. I’ve always been a creative person and very green fingered, with flowers being my first love. I seem to have mastered the art of the hand-tied and have been making them for friends and family at every opportunity...its a start!

Firstly I have a training question. I was hoping to undertake one of the ‘career courses’ offered by a few of the London florists like Jane Packer, Paula Pryke, McQueens etc. I feel I’d rather learn this way as they are intensive courses, meaning I could complete them in a month or two depending on length, and then start looking for work pretty much straight away. Obviously this knowledge would be built upon daily in shop work, but from what I’ve read the courses seem to give a great foundation to work upon.

What I want to know is this - am I being naïve in this plan? I’d like to hear your professional opinions about this type of training, and whether you’d prefer a new florist to have learnt modern techniques and trendy designs from a top name rather than going down the traditional NVQ/City&Guilds route. What would you think if a CV/portfolio dropped through your door from someone like me with this sort of training?

Thanks in advance, looking forward to your replies….

RD x

welcome roller disco

As an employer I wouldn't really consider a CV like that for a florist job. I wouldn't even consider someone who was qualified in floristry but had no working experience in a florist. I usually look for at least two years experience when employing florists.
Floristry courses take at least two years for the basics, a so called intensive course of a few weeks wouldn't be enough to gain the necessary skills or experience required to do the job. You can do floristry courses part time, one day a week.
Trying not to sound patrionizing it's a bit like an intensive driving course, just because you have completed it doesn't mean you can drive well or will pass your test.
Aside from the practical skills required there is a wealth of knowledge needed such as correct care and conditoning for different stem types , botanical names and principles of design.

Good luck whatever you decide

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Sarah Creating Bespoke Wedding Flowers Cheshire

Hi RD
this is my first post on this forum{hope it works}
Go find a shop and offer to work for a few days for free.
I find with ALL 'newbies" it,s a big shock.
This is a dirty mucky grubby job.
The last girl to come out of marketing I know opened her shop about 500 yards away from me she did well and lasted 18 months.On closing she said she hopes to NEVER see another flower EVER.
Sorry
but go try the job first it,s great but it ain,t easy
kind regards
Alan F

Thanks both.

Alan F - I had a very hands-on job in a Garden Centre for 4 years between the ages of 16-19 so I do have a bit of experience with dirty jobs - I think I'm ready to go back to it!

Sosa - Its interesting that you would only employ someone with 2yrs+ experience, makes me wonder where all the poor newbies actually start! Good point re. the driving thing. I guess I saw the course as a good platform for someone like me.

Would be interested to hear other opinions nonetheless.

hhmm,,,I personally would think you were trying to run b4 you could walk. As an employer with a very busy shop I would much prefer someone who had mastered the basics b4 embarking on a course run by the Jane Packers of this world. Most of my friends who have shops also look for the kind of recognised qualifications such as the NVQ or C&G. You should also realise there is a considerable amount of housekeeping to be learnt and an awful lot of bucket scrubbing,,b4 you get to do all the nice things. My students start at the bottom and work their way up the pecking order by proving themselves and showing me they can do the bread n butter stuff,,then I let them have a play if they've been good girls!!

Its definately better to do your course combined with shop hours if at all possible,,jobs are quite hard to come by,,ask Belinda and Tree about that,,,you learn faster and better if you are in the shop environment and gain experience as you go. I've had job applicants over the years from all ends of the spectrum,,,the ones that say things like,,"I've been doing flowers for years for friends etc" don't get a look in with me,,but thats a whole other ball game!!

My advice would be,,get yourself on a good course and start going into shops and introduce yourself and asking if they do work experience or have any vacancies,,theres a thread somewhere with some tips,,and there are a lot of good students on here who have already started this journey who would be only too happy to chat with you. Good luck!!

Ohh,,,you might find that its probably better to keep it to yourself about your floral kitchen sink activities!! Have a little nose around,,,

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live long and prosper

Hi RD and welcome

I have to say, I agree with the points Sosas made.

I have interviewed someone before who had taken one of these courses and whilst their portfolio looked nice they didn't really the right skills needed to work in a commercial environment.

If you want to learn properly then I'd say definitely follow one of the NVQ or C&G routes and nothing can replace shop experience. Some people are lucky and have a natural flair for floristry, others have to work harder at it.

I would, however, take on a florist with no qualifications but only if they had a minimum of two to three years shop experience.

Hope that helps. Unfortunately there is a huge misconception out there that "it must be a lovely job" being a florist when there is so much more to it than that, which I'm sure you do appreciate - but not everyone does.

Hope that helps.

Puss

Hi RD - welcome to the forum

I'm in the process of a career change myself. Have been in my current job coming up for 16 years (conferences/events). I am currently studying City and Guilds - level 2. Its my 2nd year of studying and I'll finish next June.

Financially it wasn't viable (without selling my house!) to jump straight into a shop to get experience, but that will be my next goal. I have met someone who has been a florist for 16 years and just opened her shop in September who will give me work experience. I started a part time business (see threads in homeworkers section) and do a little work that way to build up my portfolio/experience - my background in event management has been useful in the weddings I have done.

I think the Paula Pryke/McQueens courses are good, but I think they're a 'nice to do' and that a certificated course plus work experience in a shop is the way to go. I can't imagine there's a substitute for real life experience.

As for you being totally new, there are employers out there who would take on newbies but obviously earning less than someone with experience.

Good luck - am sure you'll find loads of help on here. Where are you based??

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www.treesfloraldesign.co.uk

Hi RD
sorry luv it,s just we get all sorts think its all arty farty.If you are willing to work hard and can put up with the muck give it a go.The newbies get to start with bosses like me.I believe in giving a start to those who fell out the schooling system,Some have gone on to open there own shops that is a GREAT feeling

As for you being totally new, there are employers out there who would take on newbies but obviously earning less than someone with experience.
treesfloraldesign - Home
I have a 19 year old started from scratch on £275 for 5 day week

Thanks for all your replies. You must get silly questions like these from newbies all the time, I really appreciate you taking the time to help

Lots of interesting points here for me to mull over.

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?