Mum’s birthday? Flowers. Brother got a new job? Flowers. Want to thank your teacher after a great year of learning? Flowers!
Beautiful blooms are everywhere, and they’re the ideal treat for any special someone in your life. If you’ve ever tried sticking two bunches together at home, you’ll know that it’s super difficult to make any arrangement look great. That’s why a florist apprenticeship can provide an amazing opportunity to hone your skills and learn how to create standout designs.
Jobs you can get with florist apprenticeships
Florist
Florists create art out of flowers and have a special eye for creativity, colour and design. In addition to your creative vision, you’ll also need a green thumb, as florists are super skilled in handling and caring for flowers. You’ll advise clients on the best flower choices based on things like seasonality.
Wedding or event florist
What’s the one thing every baby shower, graduation ceremony and anniversary has in common? Big bunches of flowers! A wedding or event florist specialises in creating large, complex floral arrangements like bouquets and centrepieces. Your exceptional floristry skills must also be matched by great communication and organisational skills, as you’re usually working with other members of the planning teams.
Floral instructor
When the student becomes a master, you can pass your skills on to other learners by becoming a floral instructor. This role involves teaching floristry skills and techniques at colleges, schools or small local events at places like garden centres.
Florist assistant
A lot goes on behind the scenes in a florist’s shop. After all, someone has to be there to trim the flowers and keep the soil hydrated. A florist’s assistant is a great starting point for industry newcomers, and you’ll get a front-row seat to an experienced florist’s daily activities, like prepping simple arrangements and serving customers.
Flower grower
Someone has to grow all those lovely flowers before they get into your hands! A flower grower (also called a flower farmer) works to cultivate and harvest the blooms of all varieties. This challenging role involves long days working outside, but it’s perfect if you have a green thumb and love the fresh air.
Flower wholesaler
A flower wholesaler keeps track of flower deliveries throughout the supply chain, working in the distribution and sale worldwide. As well as understanding everything there is to know about flowers, you’ll also need experience in the logistics and supply chain industry.
Florist apprenticeships
The Floristry School
This Level 2 Florist Apprenticeship is remote, so you can learn anywhere in the UK. You’ll need to find your own employment (for a minimum of thirty hours per week), but The Floristry School can help you. This course takes 21 months and is split into six different phases.
Floristry Trade Club
The Floristry Trade Club works with employers to help them set up floristry apprenticeships. Although what they do is more relevant to employers than apprentices like you, it’s still worth keeping an eye on their website to spot any industry updates.
Gov.uk
You’ll find a Level 2 Florist Apprenticeship on the gov.uk website, where you can browse live opportunities across the country.
City & Guilds
There are two different qualifications you can earn with the City & Guilds. The Level 2 and 3 Diplomas in Work-based Floristry are ideal no matter how much industry experience you have. You can learn how to plan and evaluate floral designs, sell floristry services and develop your personal design skills.
British Florist Association
The British Florist Association has a few apprenticeships on offer, but the website isn’t updated particularly frequently. If you want to try your luck, try contacting their customer service teams to find out what’s available.
Entry requirements
The entry requirements for florist apprenticeships are generally pretty flexible, but it’s still important to aim high – you’ll need a minimum of grade 4 in your maths and English GCSEs.
One thing that will really stand out in florist apprenticeship applications is your creativity and flair. You can showcase your work in similar subjects such as art, fashion and graphic design. Be sure to put all your creative designs in a portfolio so it’s easy to take to interviews.
Extra tips
There are other aspects to floristry than arranging the flowers. Cogs like marketing, sales, logistics and business skills keep floristry companies and shops turning, so it’s essential to understand what happens behind the scenes, too. Remember that creating the world’s most gorgeous floral arrangement is only half the challenge: you must know how to price it, recognise sales opportunities and create marketing content. Finding paid or unpaid work experience in a florist’s shop is a great idea to gain insights into all these activities and more.
Your future will bloom with a florist apprenticeship
Love working with nature but not sure if a florist apprenticeship is right for you? Check out similar opportunities in agriculture to see if you find something you like.
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