Totorus

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Floriculture is an emerging business that has many exciting career opportunities, even in these economic hard times. What exactly is Floriculture? It involves the cultivation of flowers, development of new flowers for commercial value, sale of flowers as garden and decorating commodities, and the distribution of flowers to domestic and international markets.

Floriculture is so lucrative because flowers are in demand throughout the year. This is especially true during Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day and Valentines Day. If you are seeking a career in Floriculture there are a variety of career choices in this strong field.

The Commercial Growing Sector

Commercial growing involves the cultivation of flowers for domestic and international markets. The workers in this industry are responsible for the development of flowers that are of high quality. Job opportunities within the commercial growing sector include flower growers, floriculture assistants, workers, tradespersons, supervisors, managers and business managers.

The Floral Wholesale Sector

Floral wholesalers are generally large companies that specialize in supplying flowers, potted plants and floral supplies to various retail markets in a region. People who wish to pursue a career in this sector have the opportunity to become buyers, general managers and can eventually even become successful business owners.

Retail Florists

Retail florists include small to large markets that are run by business owners and workers who specialize in the field of floriculture. They usually sell various types of cut flowers, flower bouquets, potted plants, garden decorations, potting soil and garden tools to local consumers. Large companies, such as Safeway, Canadian Tire, Save-On-Foods and Extra Foods incorporate floral retail departments within their stores. People wanting to work as florists in the retail industry can pursue a career in floral design, management, or they can also own and operate their own floral retail store.

Plant Breeders

Plant breeders are florists and horticulturists who work to change the genetics of plants for the benefit of all people. Some breeders simply select plants that have desirable characteristics for reproduction. Others use more complex molecular techniques to breed different types of plants. This can be an exciting career to have if you are interested in the biology of plants and have a desire to make scientific research your full time job. However, this type of career does require a number of years of secondary education. People with several years of experience in the floriculture industry can become plant breeders as well.

College/University Professor

An ever evolving demand for florists has created a growing need for teachers of floriculture at the college and university level. Most university professors in this field also work as plant breeders in research centers. If you have a passion for plants and flowers and love to teach, you can become a college teacher or university professor. This requires years of post secondary training and education.

Botanic Garden Curator

Botanical gardens are artistic gardens filled with breathtaking floral designs made specifically for the enjoyment of locals and tourists. Botanical Gardens are built primarily by floral designers, and botanic garden curators are responsible for the care and maintenance of the garden. This career does not require much education. However, the more education and experience you have, the more qualified you are for this type of career.

Every career option in floriculture is different. Some require as little education as a few comprehensive college courses, while others require people to have certificates, diplomas and even university degrees. Regardless of the amount of education, every job in the floriculture industry does require experience.