Florist

Certificate IV in Floristry

2008 - Semester One,  2008 - Places Available

Certificate II in Floristry

2008 - Semester One,  2008 - Places Available

If you are looking for a career that provides an outlet for your creative flair, then floristry may be for you. Florists design and create bouquets and floral arrangements for people wanting to celebrate events such as the birth of a child or a birthday, or to honour people on occasions such as a funeral. Many of their customers simply want to beautify their offices or homes.

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Entry into this occupation is generally though an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Certificate III or higher qualification. Of those people currently employed in this industry, 26% have a Certificate III or IV, 18% have Bachelor Degrees and 17% have Certificate I or II. A further 36% have no post-school qualification. It is recommended that you gain the available qualification to get the best possible chance of employment.

There are a number of avenues into floristry. TAFE SA offer the following courses to help you find employment in this occupation; Certificate II, II or IV in Floristry, Certificate III Retail Operations or the Diploma Retail Management.

Still Unsure! Then enrol in a short course also offered through TAFE SA such as Introduction to Floristry. For further information about these and related courses go to the TAFE SA website: www.tafe.sa.edu.au.

Florists mainly work for small retail outlets in metropolitan areas and in large country towns. Many are self-employed. Sometimes employment is on a part-time basis.

Florists usually begin their careers as a florist's assistant, which mainly involves serving customers. They then move on to floral arranging involving duties such as wiring flowers or making up sprays, and eventually to working unsupervised in all areas. The demand for flowers tends to be seasonal, with peak periods being Christmas, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. Advancement opportunities for florists are limited mainly to supervision and self-employment.

Personal And Other Services,  Retail Trade

To be updated.

Florists daily duties include preparing (conditioning) flowers so that they will last, creating bouquets and arrangements of flowers and fruit, setting up shop displays, as well as taking customer orders. Most people order via the telephone, but as online buying becomes increasingly popular, florists will need basic computer skills to handle customer orders online. Customers sometimes seek a florist's help with writing an appropriate message on a greeting card that accompanies the flowers. Florist's also arrange delivery of flowers and its their job to ensure that the flowers arrive on time, at the right place and looking as beautiful as when they left the shop. Early morning visits to the wholesale markets where flowers are purchased is often a responsibility of senior florists. ''Its critical to choose your own flowers, if you want to maintain a reputation for supplying fresh, beautiful flowers. But, its not much fun in winter when you have to dip your hands into buckets of icy water,'' says an industry professional. Florists, who cater for functions such as weddings, usually need to attend the church or reception centre beforehand to decide how the flowers should be arranged. When creating large arrangements for special occasions, florists may prefer to work on site.

A natural and artistic flair for the design, arrangement and wrapping of flowers is important in this occupation. Aside from artistic ability, florists also need good colour coordination and knowledge of a wide variety of flower and foliage species. While they predominantly work with fresh flowers, they also need to be comfortable working with dried or artificial fruits and flowers. To satisfy their customers, florists need good listening and communication skills. They need to be able to 'translate' their customer's wishes into a floral art form. Being able to manage your use of time is important if you are going to meet deadlines for delivery. ''Emotions play a large part when customers buy flowers, which is why its important for florists to understand and consider carefully a customer's request,'' says a self employed florist. Most florists work in a retail shop which is well lit and ventilated and equipped with a fridge or coolroom. Some shops have behind-the-scenes workrooms where florists can be found busy at work. Keeping their work environment clean and well stocked, is a demanding part of the job. Contrary to popular beliefs, working with flowers can be dirty and very messy.

Floristry is also hard on the hands and physically demanding because you are standing most of the time and you are required to lift heavy flower-filled containers. Work days for florists are generally 9-5, however, at special times of the year such as Mothers Day, Valentines Day, Easter and Christmas, it is not unusual for florists to work through the night. Its also a huge advantage for florists to be first at the early morning markets to pick the best of the bunches, so you might have to put in some early mornings.

For further information, contact:

Burnside Florists
455D Greenhill Rd Tusmore SA 5065
Ph: (08) 8332 6939
Fax: (08) 8332 6939
Email: ENT5147A@interfloraflorist.com.au

Services Industry Skills Council (National Office)
GPO Box 4194 Sydney NSW 2001
Ph: (02) 8243 1210 or 1800 626 335 (FREECALL)
Fax: (02) 8243 1299
Email: info@serviceskills.com.au
Website: www.serviceskills.com.au

Salaries vary with experience and expertise. Someone new or training in the field can earn about $25,000 per year, while someone who is experienced can earn over $35,000. Those who own their own business may earn more.

For further information about all TAFE SA Courses, phone 1800 882 661 or email tafeinfo@saugov.sa.gov.au