How to become a Floral Designer
Floral design is both an art and a science where a designer works with plants and flowers to create beautiful displays. The artist literally sculpts a three dimensional design from a combination of plant material and other objects.
There are educational pathways to becoming a floral designer that require learning about plants and design. Floral design is also a business oriented field, with aspects of good customer service and business management. Finally, floral design training provides a solid understanding of designing for the three major floral design themes: sympathy, weddings and celebrations.
The American Institute of Floral Designers is a voluntary membership organization that helps a floral designer to show that they have good credentials. To become a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AFID), the candidate must complete one of several educational pathways that are available.
A designer can have three or more years of work in the floral industry, with documented work experience.
The designer has completed coursework under an AFID approved educational partner.
The designer has a degree certificate from an AFID approved college or university.
State certification credentials have been earned, or
The AFID applicant has completed a certain number of AFID workshops.
According toDegree Directory.org,there are more details about a basic education in floral design:
A certificate program in floral design can last from one day to up to a year and will give a broad understanding of design and of the business of floral design.
An associates degree in floral design will include practical experience and assignments, care of living and cut plants, color and design theory, retail sales, horticultural science and plant identification, plus general education courses. The degree prepares a graduate for work in retail, wholesale, and event planning firms.
Finally, the AFID credential and coursework programs will help an established floral designer to advance to higher level positions within the industry.
More advanced bachelors degrees may take the floral design student into botany, horticulture and more general coursework that will lead to graduate degrees, more job opportunities, or job advancement in the floral and horticulture industries.
Brookhaven Collegehas the most detailed description of the standard coursework required for a certificate in floral design. The first course emphasizes being able to identify the botanical names for flowers and the foliage that is used in the industry. Then, detailed training shows how to make and care for arrangements, color and design basics and more are taught.
The second course focuses on the first major area of floral design: arrangements for sympathy.
The third and fourth courses focus on the second major area of floral design: arrangements for weddings and celebrations.
Here are sample job descriptions for a floral designer atSafeway and other major grocery chains:
A Floral designer "Provides superior customer service. Designs wedding, sympathy and holiday designs, including dried and fresh flower arrangements. Merchandises Floral department; stocking, watering and cutting flowers and plants in display case and cooler. Itemizing and totaling customer purchases on cash register. Taking special requests for floral arrangements."
Afloral clerkhas the following duties
"Provides superior customer service. Prepares floral merchandise for display, such as cleaning and trimming fresh cut flowers when they first arrive at the store, in accordance with company standards on merchandise presentation, safety, sanitation and suggestive selling. Other duties include making floral arrangements, taking customer orders over the telephone or in-person, inflating balloons, watering plants and making sales announcements over the PA system."
In summary, whether working alone in a small shop or for a large company, floral designers can have a great job, good working conditions and a chance to show off their talents and skills.
