Floristry Qualifications and Training
You can of course set up in business as a florist without any qualifications or training – it’s not illegal.
But –
• Do you know how to appropriately condition each of your flowers, so that they last?
• Can you make a hand-tied, gift-wrap it, and aquapack it?
• Do your buttonholes stay fresh throughout the whole wedding day?
• Can you create a complex wired shower bouquet from a photo that a bride gives you?
Qualifications are not essential to work in floriculture and horticulture, but they do help. It’s not like being a dentist or surgeon, where customers expect you to have undergone extensive training before you set up in business. However, training in your chosen field can help you know more about your products, understand how to do your job better, find faster or more efficient ways to work, and give you access to information and business contacts that may prove invaluable in the future.
Floristry training comes in many different forms and takes different lengths of time, from a basic introduction to flowers and their use, right up to the equivalent of a Master’s Degree. There are 5 main levels of qualification; you can learn at general education colleges, specialised agricultural or design colleges, or at private floristry schools.
Several floristry associations award their own qualifications, sometimes based on exams and sometimes based on experience and achievement.
Be aware, also, that opening a florist shop is not just about the flowers, but about the business too. Success comes not just from the flowers, but from all the other elements, working well. For more on running a flower business, visit our Running a Floristry Business page.
Find out which qualification is right for you, and what those letters after your name will mean:
Level 1 – Certificate
For : Young school leavers, beginners, those wanting an introduction to the industry.
Training : Entry level skills in basic practical floristry.
Level 2 - National Certificate (NCF); First Diploma; NVQ2 Key Skills
For : School leavers or mature students looking to be qualified for their first job in the industry.
Training : Range of courses that build on Level 1, including general practical floristry skills, plus introductions to retailing, communication, numeracy, teamwork and computing.
Level 3 - Advanced National Certificate (ANCF) ; National Diploma; National Certificate/National Award level 2/3); NVQ3 Technical Certificate
For : Those wanting to progress in their career to supervisor or junior manager.
Training : Builds on Level 2 via full-time or part-time courses. Full time courses tend to give more thorough training; part-time courses combine floristry training with employment or work experience. Includes commercial floristry skills; also more business and/or supervisory skills. Sometimes academic students can take a Level 3 course with little or no previous floristry training, if they have practical experience. Few level 3 courses focus on practical skills alone; florists at this level will take on a wide range of skills and responsibilities within a business.
Level 4 - Intermediate Certificate Society of Floristry (ICSF); NPTC Level 4 Higher Diploma in Floristry (ICSF); Higher Diploma (HDF); Foundation Degree; Higher National Diploma/Certificate (HND)/(HNC); NVQ4 Business Management
For : those with strong academic skills and significant floristry experience. Ideal for those wanting responsibility as senior staff, managers, starting a business, or teaching etc.
Training : Combines advanced practical skills with training in business, management and design. Most courses require A level standard education, equivalent floristry training, or sometimes high grades at Level 3. Entry requirements for mature students are more flexible and take into consideration a student’s experience and potential ability.
Within the industry the Society of Floristry’s Intermediate Certificate (ICSF) and National Diploma (NDSF) qualifications have long been regarded as the pinnacle of any professional florist’s training. NDSF in particular is the sign of a professional florist.
Level 5 - NPTC Level 5 Master Diploma in Professional Floristry (NDSF)
Training : Usually involves a further year of study after Level 4. Remember it can take as little as two years to achieve an HNC, HND, or Foundation Degree in many other industries, whilst it typically takes a skilled florist 5-7 years to master their skills and achieve full professional status. This is due to the range and depth of skills that a florist needs to develop.
AIFD – American Institute of Floral Design
Awards accreditation to those experienced florists completing their stringent written and practical exam.
Update to all those acronyms:
The Society of Floristry has worked closely with NPTC, part of the City & Guilds group to modify and update qualifications to ensure they continue to match the highest national and international occupational standards.
ICSF is now NPTC Level 4 HDF (Higher Diploma in Floristry)
NDSF is now NPTC Level 5 MDPF (Master Diploma in Professional Floristry).
If you want to find colleges that offer training in floristry, visit our Floristry Training pages.
If you want more information on what the floristry training qualifications mean, the Lantra website can help.