Chapter 1 Careers in Floriculture 25
3. Attend a state florist association conference.
4. Attend a program sponsored by a local wholesale florist.
5. Tour a supermarket design center facility.
Critical Thinking
1. You have applied to a local grower for a job working with field plants. The company has invited
you to come in for an interview. What would you consider appropriate dress for this interview?
2. A customer enters the retail flower shop where you are working. When you ask if you can
help him, he says he wants a beautiful arrangement of yellow flowers to surprise his young
daughter. You show him a few options, but then he decides he would rather have a smaller,
pink arrangement. You show him more options, and then he states that he doesn’t like
anything you have shown him so far because they don’t include a toy that his daughter can
keep after the flowers die. How would you handle this customer?
3. You are interviewing for a position as a delivery person for a local retail florist. The
interviewer asks, “How old are you?” How should you respond?
STEM Activities and Academics
1. Science. Investigate current research programs in floriculture or in botany (plant science).
Choose a research program that interests you. Prepare a report on the scientific methods
used in this program and how the results affect the floriculture industry.
2. Technology. Visit a local commercial greenhouse and ask about the technology used
to provide the plants with just the right amount of water and nutrients. If there are no
commercial greenhouses in your area, research this topic on the Internet. Write a short
report of your findings.
3. Engineering. Find out more about plant hybridization and the goals of hybridization
programs. Compare the purposes of plant hybridization with engineering research to
improve the design of a household appliance. How are they similar? How are they different?
Communicating about Floral Design
1. Reading and Speaking. Create an informational pamphlet on how to apply for a job in the
floriculture industry. Research résumé strategies and portfolio organization and download
a sample job application. Present your pamphlet to the class. After your project has been
graded and returned to you, review the instructor’s comments. List the type of changes you
could make to improve your project.
2. Reading and Speaking. Working with two partners, research the type of interview questions
you may be asked when applying for a job in the floriculture industry. Look for examples of
the best way to reply to interview questions. Create a script with one partner applying for the
position and the other two partners performing the interview. Perform the skit for your class.
3. Writing and Speaking. Interview a local retail florist, wholesale florist, or wedding florist. Ask
the person to describe a typical day at work. Prepare a list of questions similar to the following:
How long have you been in the floriculture industry? Did you go to school or did you learn as
an intern? What is the work environment like? What are your job duties? What other types of
professionals do you work with?
Report your findings to the class, giving reasons why you would or would not want to pursue
a career similar to that of the person you interviewed.