Floral Designer

In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.

The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used. Here is how this occupation has been classified over time:

• 2006 NOC: Artistic Floral Arrangers (5244.9) 
• 2006 NOC-S: Artisans and Craftspersons (F144) 
• 2011 NOC: Artisans and craftspersons (5244) 
• 2016 NOC: Artisans and craftspersons (5244) 

Floral designers use fresh, dried, or artificial flowers to create flower arrangements for home decoration, gifts, corporate accounts, or special occasions such as weddings, funerals, graduations, and birthdays. They may work from:

• Written orders that indicate customers’ preferences for style, colour, type of flower and cost
• Pre-defined menus of advertised arrangements
• Requests based only on selling price in which the designer chooses the colour, design and type of flower

In addition to designing and arranging, floral designers also may cut and condition flowers and foliage for storage to ensure they remain fresh as long as possible. They create in-store and window displays and serve customers over the phone or on the internet. They also may:

• Give advice on the care and maintenance of plants and fresh-cut flowers
• Sell giftware
• Order flowers and supplies from wholesalers and growers
• Create designs for sale at the wholesale level
• Create designs for retail display and sale
• Design shop displays
• Perform general duties such as cleaning merchandise, washing flower buckets and sweeping floors

Working conditions in floral shops generally are pleasant. Floral designers should be able to multitask, as they sometimes are required to manage the competing demands of telephone sales, in-store sales, and production deadlines. The job involves considerable standing and requires some heavy lifting.

Floral designers work standard retail hours that often include evenings and weekends. Long hours may be required to complete arrangements on time during holiday seasons and for special occasions. Part-time work is common.

Floral designers may be self-employed or employed by independent florist shops or retail chain stores. They often start as labourers or assistants, unpacking, cutting and preparing flowers for storage, organizing delivery orders and cleaning up. Trainees usually work closely with experienced floral designers, learning basic arrangements and advancing to more elaborate designs. In some shops, individuals may be employed exclusively as designers.

Advancement generally depends on the person’s ability, creativity, and ambition. Experienced floral designers who have business and supervisory skills may advance to shop management positions or open their own retail shops.

In Alberta, floral designers are part of 2 larger 2011 National Occupational Classifications – 6421: Retail salespersons, and 5244: Artisans and craftspersons.

83% of people employed in the Retail and Salespersons and Sales Clerks group work in the Retail Trade industry.

75% of people employed in the Artisans and Craftspersons group work in the following industries:

• Retail Trade [pdf]
• Manufacturing [pdf]

The employment outlook [pdf] in this occupation is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

• Trends and events affecting overall employment, especially in the industries listed above
• Location in Alberta
• Employment turnover (when people leave existing positions)
• Occupational growth (when new positions are created)
• Size of the occupation

Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.