New Zealand Certificate in Floristry (Level 3)

This fully online programme will prepare you for a career as an intermediate florist working in floristry retail outlets. With further work experience and study, you could move into roles such as senior florists in floristry retail outlets.  

This qualification is aimed at people with some experience who wish to progress their skills and knowledge in the floristry industry. 

What you will learn 

When you complete this online qualification, you will be able to: 

• Apply knowledge of the principles and elements of floral design, to intermediate floristry items, meeting customer specifications and business requirements for a range of purposes and occasions.  
• Display and maintain plant materials and arrangements in a floristry workplace to maximise their impact. 
• Provide customer service and refer complaints using a range of effective communication and interpersonal skills in a floristry workplace.  
• Apply knowledge of legislative requirements, health and safety, and promote sustainable practices to a floristry workplace environment. 

The New Zealand Certificate in Floristry (Level 3)  consists of four compulsory courses:

The first three courses cover the floristry design elements and principles introduced in NZ2671 New Zealand Certificate in Floristry (Level 2) to a greater depth.   

The floristry practical techniques in these courses are taken to an intermediate level with a focus on applying the principles and elements of design to produce wired pieces, hand-tied bouquets and posies, upright facing and all-round arrangements appropriate for a range of occasions – e.g., weddings, funerals, anniversaries, birthdays.  

The second course, FLO312 Hand-Tied Designs, will include principles and elements of design. 

The third course, FLO313 Base Medium Floral Pieces, includes a 20-hour work experience component focused on identifying and promoting sustainable working practices. 

The final course FLO314 Retail Floristry is an extension of the introductory floristry retail skills delivered in NZ2671 New Zealand Certificate in Floristry (Level 2). The work experience of 40 hours will enable learners to demonstrate customer service skills in a retail environment to a standard acceptable to the industry including the application of knowledge of legislative requirements, health and safety and the promotion of sustainable practices.

The course includes a capstone assessment covering all practical skills covered in the programme. Workplace verifiers and assessors approved by New Zealand Professional Florists Incorporated (NZPF) will be involved in the capstone assessment component of this course. 

Practicum  

You need to be able to complete the 60-hour practicum in a floristry workplace when enrolled in FLO313 Base Medium Floral Pieces and FLO314 Retail Floristry. The workplace must be approved by Open Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga and have a New Zealand Professional Florists Incorporated (NZPF) endorsed verifier. 

For FLO313 Base Medium Floral Pieces you need to complete 20 hours of work experience and in FLO314 Retail Floristry you need to complete 40 hours of work experience.  

This work experience can be in a volunteer or paid position but must be in an approved workplace. Approval of the workplace will be undertaken by Open Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga on the recommendation of the NZPF.  

Capstone Assessment 

Practical skills will be assessed with all three practical assessments taking place on one capstone assessment day, in the learner’s workplace or in another floristry studio to which they will be directed by Open Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga.  A floristry assessor will visit the workplace and the learner will be expected to prepare the prescribed range of floral arrangements to a commercial standard and timeframe relevant to an intermediate florist. 

Maximum Programme Completion Time

To be awarded the qualification, the programme must be completed in no more than 3 years of first enrolment, unless there are exceptional circumstances.