How to become a Florist
Official title: Florists
Also called: Florist, Artificial florist, Floral artist, Floral arranger, Flower arranger, Floral designer, Floral assistant, Floral decorator, Floral technician, Artificial wreath maker
Florists sell flowers and related products in a wholesale or retail business, and design and make up floral bouquets, wreaths, tributes and other floral arrangements for sale to the public.
Main tasks
- Orders and purchases fresh flowers, foliage and other floristry items such as ribbons, wire, cards, artificial flowers etc. from wholesalers or growers
- Displays and cares for flowers, plants and ready-made floral arrangements in selling premises
- Designs and makes up wreaths, bouquets, posies, corsages, headdresses and button holes using appropriate flowers, foliage, frame and trimmings
- Confers with and advises customers regarding their design requirements and arranges for the delivery of floral arrangements as requested by the customer
- Decorates buildings, halls, churches or other facilities for parties, weddings, etc
- Sells flowers, plants, foliage etc. to the public and performs retail duties such as keeping accounts
How to become one
There are no formal academic entry requirements, although some employers may request GCSEs/S grades. Off and on-the-job training is provided. NVQs/SVQs in Floristry are available at levels 2 and 3. Professional qualifications are also available.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship (England): Florist (level 2). England. Typically 24 months. Skills England standard ST0538.
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £23,713 a year
- About 15,900 people work in this job now, and about 15,900 are projected by 2035. (+0.2%)
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Florist?
There are no formal academic entry requirements, although some employers may request GCSEs/S grades. Off and on-the-job training is provided. NVQs/SVQs in Floristry are available at levels 2 and 3. Professional qualifications are also available.
How much does a Florist earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £23,713 a year (Office for National Statistics).
Is a Florist a growing career in the UK?
Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 15,900 people now and 15,900 later (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become a Florist?
Not always. 44% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Florist (level 2).
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03