Lorna Davies started out working in administration but after a while decided on a change of direction. Her natural artistic flair led her to window dressing for a large retailer, where she found the work challenging and rewarding. After a career break to have children, Lorna returned to window dressing, but found that the retail industry had changed and she no longer had the authority to dress the windows as she would like.
As Lorna had always enjoyed floristry as a hobby, she decided this could be the new challenge she was looking for. She had previously attended night classes to develop her skills, and while working at M&S, Lorna started doing flower arrangements and table decorations for staff dances and work events. She enjoyed this work but recognised that she needed to gain more experience, and so Lorna decided to get a part-time job at a florists to develop her skills and see if she`d enjoy working as a florist.
Lorna saw an advertisement for a part-time job at a Florist`s in Perth and her career in floristry blossomed from here. Whilst working at this shop, Lorna heard from her employer about the exams and qualifications in floristry that you could achieve. Wanting to further her career in floristry, Lorna got a full-time job at McIntyres Florists in Perth, where she worked for 2 years, whilst studying for floristry qualifications in her spare time. In August 2003, Lorna achieved the Floristry SVQ Level 3:
"I am pleased that I did the SVQ – although I had some experience working in floristry, it made me learn everything from the very beginning, so I know how to do things properly. We even learnt about Health and Safety, and retail skills as well as developing our practical skills".
Lorna was able to add work she did for shop orders to her portfolio, such as wired bridal bouquets. "Doing the qualification kept me going – it gave me a goal to achieve"
Lorna has also attended 2 Teleflorist learning weekends and received funding through Lantra to attend the Alison Bradley School whilst studying for her SVQ – where floristry experts held workshops and gave professional advice to the SVQ candidates.
Lorna Davies also gained her Modern Apprenticeship in Floristry whilst working with McIntyres Florists, having heard about it through Lantra. Lorna’s dedication and commitment paid off and she achieved her Modern Apprenticeship in only 11 months, producing an excellent portfolio of work.
"Doing the Modern Apprenticeship and other qualifications has increased my confidence enormously. I`m now much more confident in my skills and abilities. The Modern Apprenticeship has also given me new contacts and has opened up a lot of opportunities for me"
Lorna takes steps to develop her own skills and knowledge by reading books and magazines and attending shows and demonstrations. Recently, Lorna has embarked on the biggest step of her career so far by starting her own business and opening a florists shop in Perth.
"I love having the freedom and responsibility of having my own business. I can now experiment, trying out new ideas".
"I like the diversity of my job. Each customer likes different flowers, colours and styles. I like to find out about the occasion or the person who will be receiving the flowers, so that I can do arrangements that people will appreciate."
"When you see the pleasure on people`s faces when they really appreciate what you have done, it gives you so much satisfaction".
"The best bit about my job is serving the customers. I love to make arrangements that they like and feel is value for money. Most of all, I love doing floristry."
Lorna would like to go on to do the D22/ D23 teaching courses, and following her own success, Lorna hopes to take on a trainee, to help someone else to pursue a career in floristry.