T Levels, Floristry and the land-based workforce of the future
How employers within the floristry industry can help define and shape the workforce of the future.
08 July 2022
By nature, the land-based sector is diverse and offers a variety of exciting opportunities and career paths to choose from. In recent times, the sector has seen shortages in the workforce, in part due to the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit. However, with the right training and education, there’s an opportunity to fill the gap in skills and the workforce.
For those looking to enter the sector, the new generation of Technical Qualifications (T Levels) in Agriculture, Environmental and Animal Care are due to launch in September 2023. Delivered over a two year period, T Levels bring classroom learning and an extended industry placement together, to provide a combination of technical knowledge and practical skills that are specific to a chosen industry or occupation. Learners also undertake an industry placement of 45 days in their chosen industry or occupation in addition to covering relevant maths, English and digital skills.
For the Floristry qualification there is an Occupational Specialism (OS) in the T Level that learners can take.
The Floristry OS topics include:
- Safe working practices in floristry
- Creating designs in media, tied, glued and wired designs
- Communicating with colleagues and clients
- Creating designs to meet client requirements
- Producing designs for events
Opportunity to shape T Levels
Developing the T Level in collaboration with industry employers and businesses is a critical element in its success. By working together, we can ensure that the qualification and assessment content accurately captures current industry practices - ensuring that learners are equipped with the right knowledge and skills to enter work within the sector.
"define and shape a recruitment pool of work-ready learners"
By offering T Level learners an industry placement, employers will build relationships with their future workforce, have the opportunity to directly input to their skills development, and ultimately "define and shape a recruitment pool of work-ready learners".
Employers who then use this work-pool to address their employment pipeline challenges can be confident that the individual is committed to a career in the industry and has the relevant knowledge and skills to drive their business forward in a competitive market.
How to get involved in T Levels
There are a number of ways that employers can get involved in the development of the TQs, from registering to receive email updates, to taking part in the essential validation groups that provide feedback on the content and assessments.
To read more about the Agriculture, Environment and Animal Care T Level, visit our website, or sign up here to receive updates.
To be involved in the validation groups, please contact Sally Green, Industry Manager for Land-based Services (T Levels).
Note for readers: In October 2021, City & Guilds were successful in securing the contract with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (The Institute) to develop the new Technical Qualifications (TQs) that will be a component of the new Agriculture, Environmental and Animal Care T Level.