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Florist
(Floral Designer, Flower Shop Assistant, Event Florist, Retail Florist)
Retail & Customer Service
Salary
€24,000 - €42,000/yr
Level
Operational
Outlook
Stable
Sector
Retail & Customer Service
What does a Florist do?
As a florist you design and create floral arrangements for a wide range of occasions, from everyday bouquets sold in a retail shop to centrepieces for weddings, funerals, and corporate events. Your day involves selecting and preparing fresh flowers and plants, advising customers on suitable choices, and fulfilling orders for collection or delivery. You operate the till, manage stock, care for perishable produce, and keep the shop clean and well presented. Florists work closely with customers, event planners, and suppliers, and many are self-employed or run their own small business.
A Day in the Life
Listen: a day as a Florist
Your alarm goes off at 6.30 a.m. You are at the shop by 7.00, unlocking the door before most of the town is awake. The first job is taking in the fresh stock that arrived overnight from the wholesale supplier — buckets of roses, lilies, seasonal foliage, and potted plants packed in cardboard boxes. You check each batch carefully, cutting stems at an angle and placing the flowers in buckets of clean, treated water. Any blooms that look bruised or wilted go straight in the bin; there is no point putting them out for sale. By 8.30 the shop is open. You tidy the display buckets near the door, restock the pre-made bouquets in the fridge, and check the order book. Today you have four collection orders, two of which are for a first communion happening on Saturday, plus a standing weekly order for a local hotel that needs a fresh reception arrangement every Friday.
Videos about Florist
Career Advice on becoming a Floristry Lecturer by Anne-Marie G (Full Version)
icould career stories
Some videos were filmed in the UK. The work itself is the same, but the exams, qualifications and pay they mention are British — we include them so you get a feel for the job.
Required Education
There are no mandatory Leaving Certificate subject requirements to become a florist, but Art, Biology, and Business are useful preparations. The most direct route is a QQI Level 5 Certificate in Floristry, offered through Colleges of Further Education and ETBs across Ireland, which covers floral design, plant knowledge, and business skills. A QQI Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Floristry is also available for those wishing to deepen their expertise. Some people enter the trade by working in a flower shop and developing skills on the job, sometimes combining this with part-time or evening courses. There is no statutory professional registration body for florists in Ireland, but membership of the Irish Florist and Floral Designers Association (IFDA) is valued by employers and clients.
Required Skills
Career Perspective
Many florists begin as assistants or trainees in a retail flower shop, learning practical skills alongside experienced designers while completing or having completed a QQI Floristry course. With a few years of experience, you may progress to a senior designer or shop manager role, taking responsibility for orders, staff, and supplier relationships. Some experienced florists set up their own businesses, specialising in weddings, events, or a particular design style. Continuous professional development through workshops, competitions, and industry networks such as the IFDA helps you build your reputation and client base.
AI Impact on the job
AI-powered design tools and apps can now generate suggested floral arrangement layouts and colour palettes, which may assist florists in visualising and presenting ideas to clients more quickly. Inventory management and ordering software increasingly uses predictive algorithms to reduce waste from perishable stock. However, the hands-on craft of arranging flowers, the emotional sensitivity required when dealing with clients at significant life events, and the tactile judgement involved in selecting fresh blooms are difficult to replicate with automation. AI is therefore more likely to support florists with administrative and planning tasks than to replace the core creative work.
Career Ladder
→ Florist (Current role)
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Related Studies
Employers in Ireland
Organisations in Ireland that employ people in this occupation.
Dublin
Design and deliver fresh floral arrangements for retail customers nationwide.
Dublin, Cork, Limerick
Prepare and sell bouquets and plants from in-store floral concessions.
Nationwide
Manage plant and flower sections, advising customers on seasonal stock.
Nationwide
Stock, arrange and sell fresh cut flowers and bouquets in-store.
Nationwide
Fulfil local and international flower delivery orders through member florists.
Nationwide
Maintain and sell weekly flower and plant promotions across all stores.
Nationwide
Handle seasonal flower displays and assist customers with plant purchases.
Dublin City Centre
Create bespoke wedding, event and everyday arrangements for Dublin clients.
Belfast & Antrim (serving border counties)
Design sympathy, wedding and corporate floral pieces for retail customers.
Nationwide
Source, display and sell fresh flowers and plants in grocery forecourts.
We don't know whether these employers currently have vacancies — always check their own website. And if there's somewhere you'd really love to work, it can be worth applying anyway, even without an open vacancy.
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