If you enjoy working with flowers and creating arrangements that people can use to share joy and love with others, you might consider a career as a florist. In order to become a florist, you need to have some skills in working with floral arrangements. If you are someone who is always asked to create flower arrangements for special events held by family and friends, you know you are talented.
As a florist, you will need to interact well with others. You will help people to create a flower arrangement that conveys the message they want to put in flowers rather than words. It will be important to know how to make a beautiful flower arrangement for a man to give to his wife, while also knowing just the right flowers to use for a funeral arrangement.
You do not necessarily need to receive formal training to become a florist. Some individuals have a knack for floral arrangements without ever having any training. However, you are more likely to be successful if you do receive at least a minimal of training.
You can search for floral design schools in your area. Call universities and community colleges in surrounding communities to search for a school. Some programs will train you in the area of floral design and allow you to receive a diploma or certification.
There are some training programs available online as well. This training will be a starting point if you want a career in floral design.
If you want a more advanced education, you can enroll in floristry degrees or horticulture degrees. These programs will often be more advanced than a certificate or diploma program. It can be beneficial to take some management and business courses if you want to start your own business as a florist. Some of the programs you attend might offer these courses as part of your curriculum.
You can learn to become a florist without attending any official training programs. If you already have many of the skills and talents needed to work in floral design, you should apply for employment at a floral shop. You can learn a great deal by working under the florist who owns the shop. Express your interest in learning as much as possible and sharing some of your arrangement designs with those who are working in the shop and have more experience.
After working for awhile at the shop as an assistant, you might be promoted to become a florist at the shop. You might also learn the additional skills you need to step out on your own. In order to become a florist on your own, you will need to start your own floral shop. At this time, you might want to take some business and marketing courses. Even if you know everything you need to know to be a successful floral designer, you will not achieve all of your goals unless you are ready to operate your own business.
If you have a close working relationship with a florist in the shop where you are employed, you can ask for advice on how to start your own business. Whether or not advice will be provided, will probably depend on whether you are seen as becoming direct competition to your current employer. If you work hard and show that you are able to create floral arrangements that are loved by all customers, you might even be able to create a partnership with a florist.
There are many opportunities for you to become a florist. Work hard and never let your creativity slip through your fingers. A florist has the ability to do what they love to earn a living.