TRAINING PLACE
KEY POINTS:
What: Certificate in Advanced Commercial Floristry.
Where: Unitec Mt Albert campus.
Contact: ph 0800 109 510, website www.unitec.ac.nz
Prerequisites: Unitec Certificate in Commercial Floristry or equivalent.
Course details: Starts February, 35 places. Full-time for one year or part-time for two years. Costs $4304.
Starting salary: $15-$20 an hour.
Career opportunities: Senior retail or wholesale florist; floristry business owner; floristry design specialist; local and export salesperson; photography stylist. Students blossom in advanced course
Unitec's Certificate in Advanced Commercial Floristry is a chance for students to build on what they learnt in the Certificate in Commercial Floristry.
Malcolm Angus, senior lecturer and programme co-ordinator for the floristry courses, says the earlier course gives budding floristry students a good understanding of the rudiments of design and gets them started. "But we felt that we needed to take the course further; to teach them about their bridal work, funeral work and advanced arranging and turn them into really good senior florists.
The course runs 3.30pm to 8.30pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to accommodate students working in the floral industry. Mondays and Fridays are florists' busy days as fresh flowers from the market have to be processed, as well as the normal day's work. Plus, on Mondays, corporate arrangements have to be changed. Then, towards the end of the week, florists prepare for weekend weddings.
The Unitec course covers four sections: bridal work; hand-tied bouquets, hair and body flowers; advanced arrangements and baskets; and funeral and sympathy which includes wreaths, hearts and crosses.
Students are kept up to date with trends; the latest in designs that are "more structured, cleaner, less fussy but still with great attention to detail".
"Until recently in New Zealand we have had a preference for mixed colours, a polychromatic look," says Malcolm. "But things are changing and we are now looking for tone on tone, say yellow through to gold through to tangerine. And white and green is still popular for event work."
THE GRADUATE
Diane Morrison, 20
Florist with Morrison Florist
Completed course 2007, graduates in 2008
I did the certificate in commercial floristry last year and this year have been doing the advanced certificate. I go to Unitec two nights a week.
You do a lot of theory in both courses but there's more learning in the advanced, like casket sprays and wedding work. I found it more enjoyable this year; there were a lot more assignments. Every day you know they're doing something different and you're learning something new.
I'm working for my family's business. I had been brought up with floristry and when I came to leave school I tried to think of other things to do because my parents thought it would be better for me to get away from it. But I still wanted to do floristry.
When I was doing the first year, we had a lady leave and my mum took over her place until I could do it full time this year.
Daily work is answering phones, taking and making orders, and I sometimes deliver, too. Then there's cleaning baskets and making sure the shop is clean.
We do a lot of funeral work as we are joined with the funeral home. And we're involved with Interflora.
The course gives you all the knowledge you need about working in a florist shop. Like, at the start of this year I would have known only the basics like bouquets and that; but now I know how to construct different things like a wreath or a bridal bouquet.
The wedding work was a course highlight as that was one of the main things I wanted to learn; and funeral work, too.
The tutors are great. A few of us went in a competition and our tutors sent us flowers to encourage us.
THE EMPLOYER
Linda Morrison
Manager, Morrison Florist
Diane is passionate about flowers but I was worried that she might have wanted to do it because that was what I did. But she does it really well. She has a love for flowers. She did art at school and is good at mixing colours.
Diane is methodical and organised, and she's good with customers. The two years at Unitec have helped her immensely with her confidence. The tutors there gear the students up for going out into the big, wide working world.
I've been doing the senior course, as well. It has rekindled my creativity and my love for the job. It's inspired me to get out there and find out what is new. Our tutor Malcolm is wonderful; he's up with what's in.
* donna.mcintyre@xtra.co.nz
