Imogen’s story
Imogen’s studies at Capel Manor College began with a free floristry taster session. She then went on to study floristry and balloon artistry at Level 2 and 3.
“I found out about Capel Manor College through a florist while I was on work experience at school. My mother and father had also recommended the College as they had heard it was a good place to study from friends. I then also searched the internet and was impressed by the College’s website. After receiving the recommendations I signed up for an evening course that focused on making autumn arrangements. From this, I was hooked on floristry and applied for a course at the College for the following intake.
Before joining the College I was at school, a supportive place that gave me a start in floristry, as one of the teaching assistants had once been a florist. As soon as the school was aware of my interest in a career, they allowed the teaching assistant to give me one hour a week lessons doing simple floristry practice. I was not sure what I wanted to study at first and I had tried a few work experience days at other jobs to test the water but they were not for me. As soon as I stepped into a flower shop, I knew what I wanted to do.
Choosing Capel Manor College was not difficult. From all the recommendations I had received and my own experience it was a perfect choice. Nowhere else in the area offered such good training and the teachers I met at the College were friendly, helpful, and approachable. During my time at the College, I studied floristry, balloon artistry, crafts, event planning as well as Maths, and English. I enjoyed all of the courses, especially floristry, and was inspired by the teachers who supported me and helped me to gain confidence. Also, most of the teachers had worked in the floristry industry which enabled me to gain valuable insight into the practical side of being a florist.
I was at Capel Manor College for five years, mainly because I wanted to increase my experience, acquiring qualifications in floristry at Level 3 and balloon artistry at Level 2, which was an amazing experience. I thought my courses provided wonderful insight, with teachers that have supported me throughout the course and who became my role models. I thank them for giving me a great foundation to start in my career. I feel they understood me and used this knowledge to meet my learning style. It is hard to pick out one aspect of the course that I loved but the ‘hands-on’ experience with the guidance of skilled teachers and their familiarity with the floristry industry made this the most enjoyable part of the course.
Capel Manor College is a beautiful place to study. The gardens around the Enfield Campus are an inspiration, adding to the culture of learning about floristry. It is the most relaxing environment with students learning all aspects of vocational careers to do with plants, trees, and small animal care.
By being on the course I have gained the confidence, knowledge, and experience to become a florist. As someone who started with little confidence, my experience at Capel Manor College has led me to want my own floristry business and I am already doing small jobs for customers and assisting more experienced florists with weddings. I have a little workshop in my parent’s garage to practice my skills.
In the future, I hope to try and start my own business full time. I still have much to learn, but my work has been much appreciated by other florists and I will continue to gain knowledge and adapt to new ideas and techniques. Capel Manor College helped me get to where I am today; the opportunities I have had since are because of the things I learned and experienced at the College, and the influence and support I received there. Studying at Capel Manor College has also given me ambition and a hunger to be successful. I can do it, and I will do it!
I thank all the teachers and support staff for their patience and professionalism. The whole ethos of Capel Manor College is wonderful, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the courses they run.”
