When Auckland nurse Rachel O'Connell isn't busy at work or looking after her two young children, she is at the Floramax auction house surrounded by flowers.
Tropical flowers, sunflowers, lilies and roses are among her favourites, but what she will be working on depends what is available and in season.
The 40-year-old is one of 18 fulltime students undertaking a new course teaching people the basics in floristry - skills now highly sought after in New Zealand.
The Manukau Institute of Technology has opened a floristry training centre in the heart of Auckland's professional flower industry, the Floramax flower auction house.
The Mt Wellington centre offers beginner level courses through to a new National Certificate in Floristry (Level 2) - filling the gap left after a Unitech course closed last year.
Floristry lecturer Priscilla Hunt said there was a need for well-trained florists, as many florists didn't have the time or money to take on untrained staff.
They needed someone who knew their stuff from the first day on the job, unlike the old days when florists learnt as they went.
Also, Mrs Hunt said, many of New Zealand's top florists were quickly snapped up by overseas companies because of the country's reputation.
That had left a shortage of highly qualified florists - so much so that they are now on the Department of Immigration's immediate skills shortage list.
But, MIT is hoping to change that shortage with a range of new floristry courses.
Mrs Hunt said the point of difference with this new course was having it at the Floramax auction house so students were always at the heart of the action and working alongside industry representatives.
"Our location means that the students benefit from meeting growers, florists and other key industry players on a daily basis so our students stand a good chance of employment when they graduate."
Many students have found jobs at the auction house after rubbing shoulders with industry representatives there.
Student Rachel O'Connell said she had always loved floral art so she was now fitting her study in around her job as a nurse.
She highly recommends the course to anyone interested in floristry saying: "It's a really good course."
Her two young children and husband are very supportive - the kids want her to eventually open her own florist shop.
As well as the new course, MIT plans to introduce the national certificate in floristry level 4 this year and an advanced course next year.
Floristry student Rachel O'Connell with a selection of flowers at the Floramax auction house at Mt Wellington in Auckland. Photo / Greg Bowker
When Auckland nurse Rachel O'Connell isn't busy at work or looking after her two young children, she is at the Floramax auction house surrounded by flowers.
Tropical flowers, sunflowers, lilies and roses are among her favourites, but what she will be working on depends what is available and in season.
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