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Industry
Profile - Floriculture |
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Introduction
The JobStart/Future Skills Sector Partnerships Program of Saskatchewan
Learning enabled a sector study of the floriculture industry
in Saskatchewan. This industry profile is based on that study,
published in September, 2000.
The floriculture industry established a partnership of industry
members and key stakeholders through funding and support from
the Sector Partnerships Program. These partners worked together
to carry out a study that identified current and future hiring
needs and training requirements.
Strategic planning enables industry and training providers
to work together to provide training opportunities that match
the skills the industry requires.
For more information about the Sector Partnership Report and
this industry visit the Executive
Summary. You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this PDF
file.
Floriculture Overview
The floriculture industry involves the growing and sale of ornamental
and flowering plants. Crops include bedding plants, foliage plants,
potted flowering plants, cut flowers and greens.
The global scene
- Flowers are grown and exported on a global scale. Countries
with the largest export markets include Netherlands, Colombia,
Kenya and Israel. Other countries have also identified the
potential and are investing in the industry.
- The American Floral Endowment Consumer Tracking Study (1997-98)
shows that 48% of the money consumers spend in floriculture
is for outdoor bedding and garden plant purchases. Cut flowers
take up another 28%, flowering houseplants 15% and green indoor
plants 9%.
The Canadian scene
- Canada’s floriculture industry is growing rapidly.
Between 1988 and 1997, sales of cut flowers, potted plants,
cuttings and other plant growing material increased by 107%.
- Sales amounted to $403 million in 1988 and grew to $834
million in 1998.
- Demand for cut flowers and bedding plants is seasonal. Cut
flower sales peak around holidays such as Valentine’s
Day and Mother’s Day.
- There was a 48.9% increase in exports between 1996 and 1998.
There was an 18.8% increase in ornamental and plant sales
during the same period, but retail florist sales declined
by about 3%.
- The Canadian floriculture industry exports to 37 countries,
with 97% being sold to the U.S. market. Canadian exports increased
from $83 million in 1988 to $247 million in 1997.
- Domestic sales are often made directly from producer to
consumer, but there are also sales to wholesalers, retail
florists and chain stores.
- Today, the greenhouse floriculture industry is one of Canada’s
fastest-growing agricultural industries. It represents 21.2%
of total horticulture production in Canada.
- According to statistics, 14,657 people were employed in
the floriculture industry in 1990. Employment in the floriculture
industry accounts for 14.6% of the national horticulture labour
market.
- Of the 14,657 Canadians working in this industry, 6,386
work on a permanent full-time basis. The remaining 56.4% work
on a part-time or seasonal basis.
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Who works in the industry?
- The largest percentage of companies surveyed in 2000 (88.7%)
operate a full-service florist shop. Of those companies, 88.4%
of the workforce are female, 2.8% are Aboriginal, 1% are persons
with disabilities and less than 1% are visible minorities.
- Of the companies surveyed, 53.5% of permanent employees
are between 35 and 54 years of age, 16.8% are between 25 and
34 years, and 14.1% are age 55 and older. Of seasonal employees,
35.5% are 24 years of age or less.
- Forty-seven percent of permanent employees have at least
a high school certificate. An additional 20% have further
educational qualifications. Twenty-five percent of seasonal
employees have a high school certificate or additional educational
qualifications.
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- In 1991, Saskatchewan growers produced approximately 28%
of the greenhouse products sold in Saskatchewan.
The majority of the products grown in Saskatchewan are sold
in greenhouse and retail outlets, retail chains and local
garden centres.
- Fifty percent of Saskatchewan’s greenhouse production
is dedicated to bedding plants, with a season from February
to June.
- Saskatchewan bedding plant growers supply about 50% of
the Saskatchewan market, with the remainder coming from
B.C., Alberta and Manitoba growers.
- There are a wide variety of cut flowers imported into
Saskatchewan through South American and Holland wholesalers.
Domestic imports come from B.C., Alberta and Ontario.
- The majority of floriculture businesses are small, employing
five or fewer persons. Eighty-seven percent of businesses
surveyed employ fewer than ten workers.
- With a limited number of employees, managers and workers
are often responsible for a number of areas, including design,
sales and management.
- The Internet and computer technology are having an impact
on floriculture businesses. They can both find products
and market further afield, and offer online ordering.
- More than half the businesses surveyed reported that
globalization is having an effect on their business. Increased
foreign orders, higher prices, easier access to product
and increased telephone orders have resulted.
- Survey participants did not foresee any significant changes
to the existing occupations in the industry or any new occupations
emerging.
- Almost half expect the skills needed by employees to remain
the same over the next five years. Almost a third expect
that employees will need to become more specialized, able
to offer clients different or unique products.
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Related Jobs
The following list provides an idea of some of the jobs in the
floriculture area.
National Occupational Classification (NOC) numbers follow the
job title. You can use the NOC numbers to look up the occupations
in the NOC.
Floral designer (642)
Floral manager/owner (062)
Other related jobs, most often found in larger businesses,
include: sales people, accounting/administrative staff, delivery
people and general labourers.
Earnings
Salaries for floral designers average $6.72/hr at the entry
level and $9.23/hr for experienced designers. The reported range
for entry-level floral designers is $5.65/hr to $9.00/hr. The
range for experienced floral designers is $6.50/hr to $12.50/hr.
Salaries for managers average $8.37/hr at the entry level to
$9.78/hr for experienced managers. The reported range for entry-level
managers is $6.00/hr to $9.00/hr and $7.00/hr to $13.50/hr for
experienced managers.
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Skills and Training
There are no formal training programs for the floriculture
industry in Saskatchewan and few in Canada. Training is largely
informal, on-the-job training, supplemented with some workshops.
Flowers Canada offers an accreditation program. The program
provides a series of workshops and exams that challenge knowledge
of floriculture operations and practical design skills. Successful
completion of the various levels leads to designation as Canadian
Accredited Floral Designer, Canadian Accredited Floral Manager
and Canadian Accredited Master Florist.
Skills and knowledge that workers in the industry need include:
Floral Designer
- Proper care and
handling of flowers,
foliage and plants
- Provide service to customers
- Manage material resources, information and records
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- Perform floral design and arrangements
- Communicate effectively
- Solve problems
Plan and organize job tasks
- Numerical and literacy skills
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Floral Manager
- Knowledge of floral business
- New product technique
- Accounting/inventory control
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- People skills
- Customer service/sales skills
- Solve problems
- Computer
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Overall, survey participants most frequently indicated a need
for training or upgrading in:
- Design mechanics
- Industry awareness
- Sales skills
- Horticulture
- Management
- Flower and plant care, identification and handling
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- Accounting/
numerical skills
- New design/
specialization
- New techniques
- New products
- New trends
- People skills/working with the public
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The Future
Globalization is affecting many floriculture businesses, leading
to:
- Increasing numbers of foreign orders
- more knowledgeable, demanding customers seeking exotic flowers
and plants
- easier access to more varieties of fresh product at competitive
prices
- The Internet (Web pages, online ordering) and computer technology
is expected to have a significant impact on some floriculture
businesses within the next five years.
- A 33% increase in full-time floral design positions is projected
for the period from 2000 to 2005.
- A majority of those surveyed thought that employees will continue
to need the same skills over the next five years. Others thought
that employees will need to become more specialized.
- In some floriculture environments there may be less emphasis
on creativity. Arrangers will need to be able to copy designs
- quickly and efficiently.
Some businesses may expand into retailing other products.
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Related Information
Visit the following Web sites for more information on the floriculture
industry:
Flowers Canada
Saskatchewan
Greenhouse Growers
Return
to Saskatchewan Industry Profiles Index
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