The process to become a retail florist requires that you accomplish several steps in a particular order. Though you do not need any formal college education to become a retail florist, you will need vocational experience in two areas — customer service and floristry. Customer service experience is generally not difficult to obtain, as several months on the job as an entry level cashier or retail sales associate will suffice. Generally, you can acquire an internship or apprenticeship with a working retail florist to obtain the experience necessary to become a retail florist, though it may take some time and effort to track down such an internship or apprenticeship.
Canvas your local retail shopping centers to inquire about available sales associate or cashier positions. Typically, you do not need extensive experience for such a customer service related position, but the more you possess the better your prospects are. In all likelihood, you will only require a year, at most, in an entry level customer service position to qualify for an internship or apprenticeship to become a retail florist.
After you have adequate employment experience apply for as many entry level positions with commercial or retail florists as you can find. Check the classified ads of your local newspaper and search online job posting websites that feature retail floristry positions. Compile a basic resume of your previous employment experience. Be sure to ask the prospective employer to classify your specific position. In many instances, an internship is a short-term, unpaid position that only helps you gain experience, while an apprenticeship is a long-term position with monetary compensation.
Once you have acquired a position, learn as much as you can about constructing floral arrangements, the different uses of different types of flora, as well as developing a sense of the supply and distribution of floristry materials. Establish as many contacts in the floral service industry as you can, and master the techniques that you learn through repeated application.
Following the completion of your internship or apprenticeship, you can either seek a position as a retail florist with an established floral vendor, or you can establish your own floral shop and work as a retail florist for yourself. Generally, a retail florist does not employ staff other than interns, apprentices, and assorted assistants, so establishing your own retail florist business may be the most effective path.
