Need help on training a new florist.

[Spookyflowers]

Anyone have any ideas to train a new person. The little gal is 16 and wants to learn to design. My problem is I've been designing for almost 40 years and an having a hard time to slow down and train her. Do any of you know of a good source of online videos I can have her watch? She catches on quick so I'm hoping a video will give her a little extra push.
Thanks.

 

[Victoria]

Videos are a great resource, but in my opinion, I would suggest you slow down and spend some time with her. That is the best teacher.

V

 

[BOSS]

Spooky, I'm having the exact same issue, I'm having her just follow and watch as I do a running commentary, and then I have her do a couple designs at the end of the day, and help her with those.

 

[Rhonda]

If she is a quick study, observation is the best teacher especially if you can talk, explain why you're doing what you're doing and then have her recreate.

 

[concord]

I have a new person copy my design step by step as I fill each order and then put the extra arrangement in the cooler. It gives them confidence when the arrangement sells and it gives you a chance to show them proper mechanics. I find the hardest thing is to teach a newbie to pay attention to cogs and figure out exactly how much money goes in to the arrangement before you pull the flowers. The design is the easy part to teach IMO.

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

I have trained many a designer. Trained one in 3 years into a DOY. What I do is let them loose a few times with what they think they can do. Then I observe, then I critique. I explain things in their langauge. I explain the basics as I go along and I am NEVER mean.

 

[BOSS]

What I do is let them loose a few times with what they think they can do.

That's part of my interview process...

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

That's part of my interview process...

I guess I should say- After a few lessons- Let them loose and see what they've learned and what they can do now.


With Natalie she was hired only as a clerk. But I watched her and she was really good with color, so after she had been at the shop a couple of months and seeing the wraps she made I had her make a few things just to see- 'cause I had a feeling about her. And I was right.

 

[Flowerchatter03]

The AIFD on-line classes are extremely beneficial. You could have her sign up for one at a time (there are 4) and go along with her with your hands-on experience. If you are going to train from scratch, it is important for her to learn the basics including the principles of design, etc. Personally, I like a more structured method than just watch and repeat.

 

[Carol Bice]

Just my thought:
It is an absolute delight to train a person that has the ability and the attitude and really wants to become a florist. However, those are few and far between and I hate having to train someone without those traits.

 

[hollyflr]

I just trained a floral design assistant, for the hell of it. I bought a used copy of "The Art of Floral Design" by Norah Hunter on Amazon and "The AIFD Guide to Floral Design" for reference. Every week I assigned several chapters of the Hunter's Book to read. In the back of the chapter's there are vocab and questions about the chapter that I expected written answers to the vocab and questions.. We had sit down before each class and discussed the previous chapter. I also have a box of flower pictures on flash cards that she was to study. Each week I had her name the flowers and greens in the cooler, both common and latin. There was hands on such as processing flowers, care and handling, taking an order, soaking oasis, etc. Simple design techniques, I made a simple arrangement and expected her to follow along and duplicate the arrangement. I taught knife holding, prepping the container with oasis, insertion and placement. The book helped teach theory, principles of design which was a good review for me. I also believe teaching theory is very important part of learning the mechanics of good design.