Any Florists Out There?

[Feralpeg]

I recently began taking a floral design course online. Even though I do my little gift basket thing, I have no training in floral design or whatever you call doing gift baskets. My actually degree is in education and I worked in IT for 30 years.

I'm wondering what it takes to actually become a florist. Would I need some kind of certification? What are the chances a florist would be interested in hiring someone who has only done an online course? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Feralpeg]

I'm bumping this up in the hope that I might get a response.

 

[Chrissi Pooh]

Just my experience but I took 2 years of Floral design and Marketing at a Vocational school when I was in High school, I attempted several times to get a job as a florist or just get my foot in the door (this is my dream job) anyway they want you to have experience to work there but you have to work there to get the experience!!

Good luck to you, hope it works out better for you than it did for me!!!

 

[Towncrier]

My wife has been a floral designer for over 20 years. There are certifications available, but she has never taken the time to become a certified floral designer.

The pay is not that great. The hours (especially around holidays) are attrocious. But it's my wife's passion. She loves her job.

She was recently downsized after over 16 years at the same florist. It took her a while to find another job, but she persisted and found a small shop that needed help a couple of times a day. She does weddings and other floral arranging on the side (and her new boss knows this).

The flower shop where she worked for many years used to offer a one week floral design course. They often recruited part-time help from the students who took the course. I don't see why your online training wouldn't count towards something. Since I have seen nothing but compliments about your gift baskets here on the DIS, I would assume that you have an "eye" for design. That's something that is hard to teach. The flower arranging part is teachable.

I would think that you should start looking around at flower shops advertising for seasonal help. If you show them that you are willing to learn, you should be able to find some place that will let you hone your skills while getting paid. Who knows. Perhaps your IT background will come in handy too. Those darn Teleflora and FTD machines are an IT nightmare just waiting to be fixed.

Good luck.

 

[We4mickey]

I worked in a flower shop for 15 years. I never went to school for it. There were only a few in our particular shop that had any kind of certification. I will say it is something that you have to have the knack for. We had a few in our shop that just never had it, but they tried.

Like Towncrier said, the pay is not great and the hours around holidays can be unbelievable. I remember starting work at 7am working until 3am and being back at 7 on a mothers day weekend. You do not have a life around the holidays and you kiss your kids goodbye and say I'll see you sometime after.

It can be fun to do all the different aspects of design, from weddings to funerals. It is always something different. Good luck to you if you try it. Most shops will have you do some design work to show what your ability is if they are interested in hiring you.

 

[kimisabella]

My mother has been a floral deisgner for almost 20 years, she's never had any formal training - she's only taken a couple of courses, but mostly she's learned everything from actually working in a florist shop. When she interviewed for her job, a long time ago, the owner just told her to design something. She did, and he liked it, so she was hired, so I guess you have to start with some talent and vision, and then you learn from others as you go. The hours are sometimes not the best around the holidays, but it's a nice job to have.

 

[ilovepcot]

Most of the technical and vocational schools offer courses with certification. I looked into this a few years back when trying to find someone to do floral arrangements for a wedding in my home. (Thought I could take a quick course and do everything myself exactly as I wanted.) I found the expense for the course to be too high for someone not serious in pursuing this as a vocation. Realized I could have all the floral arrangements I wanted professionally done for what the course would cost.

 

[Miranda Danda]

My cousin owns 5 Floweramas (flower stores) in the area. I worked for her seasonally when I was in high school. I had NO training, but I was allowed to put together arrangements. Someone told me how to do it, did one, and let me use it as a guide.

 

[Disney_1derland]

Peg I think you should make a portfolio of your gift basket work and just start putting yourself out there, you are VERY talented.

 

[PaulaSue]

Ditto on the pay sucks and the hours are way too long on the holidays weeks. I went to Vo-Tech for my 10-12th grades, and got my degree. I actually co-op my senior year at a florist and then worked full time the year after. It was enough to wake me up that it was not for me...

I love designing (did my wedding and such) but the hours and the family business crap (the DSs got more $ and better treatment than the others who worked MUCH harder) I had it.

 

[Feralpeg]

Thank you all for your input. I don't know when I will do this. It is just something I'm kicking around.