Gitnux/Report 2026

Upskilling and Reskilling in the Floral Industry Statistics

With florists facing an 8% projected employment decline from 2022 to 2032 and 65% of U.S. horticulture and landscaping employers reporting hiring difficulty, this page focuses on what it takes to reskill quickly for florist-adjacent roles and customer-facing work that employers keep struggling to fill. It also ties in skills pressure from AI and technology, including a WEF 2023 estimate that employers expect an 83% rise in AI and automation skills demand, so you can see exactly where training needs and pay impact are likely to concentrate next.
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June 27, 2026Updated
Upskilling and Reskilling in the Floral Industry Statistics
David KowalskiWritten by David Kowalski·Edited by Rajesh Patel·Fact-checked by Claire Beaumont
Published ·Updated
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Hiring difficulties affect 65% of horticulture and landscaping employers in the U.S. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also projects an 8% decline in florist employment. This combination is accelerating the need for new skills in customer communication, design, and technology.

Key Takeaways

  • In the U.S., 65% of horticulture and landscaping employers report hiring difficulty, which increases pressure to upskill/reskill within the workforce
  • In the U.S., 62% of employers in the “care and service” occupations report hiring difficulty, reflecting broad labor tightness relevant to floral-adjacent roles
  • The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment for florists to decline by 8% from 2022 to 2032, which drives reskilling toward related tasks and services
  • U.S. “Trade and Development Agency” data show workforce training and modernization support for horticulture supply chains (evidence of training as a lever)
  • The New York State “Flower Growers” training and extension programs publish documented horticulture education outputs and outreach statistics
  • USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awards funding for workforce development in agriculture; trackable award counts and amounts show program presence
  • WEF estimates that 44% of workers’ skills will be disrupted by 2027, which is a key upskilling/reskilling outcome metric for productivity and employability
  • WEF estimates that 50% of workers will need reskilling by 2025, impacting workforce productivity in affected sectors
  • WEF reports that reskilling programs can reduce time-to-employment and improve mobility (reported effects summarized in report)
  • EU “Skills Panorama” describes forecasted green skills demand with numerical indicators for energy/climate-related jobs (relevant to greenhouse/floral production practices)
  • European Commission reports that 55% of EU citizens want more education/training for the green transition (demand for reskilling)
  • EU Green Deal estimates investment needs and workforce transition needs; published workforce effects quantify retraining needs

Hiring is hard and florist jobs are projected to decline, making customer service and digital upskilling essential.

Related reading

01 · Category

Workforce Needs & Skills Gaps30 stats

01
In the U.S., 65% of horticulture and landscaping employers report hiring difficulty, which increases pressure to upskill/reskill within the workforce[1]
02
In the U.S., 62% of employers in the “care and service” occupations report hiring difficulty, reflecting broad labor tightness relevant to floral-adjacent roles[2]
03
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment for florists to decline by 8% from 2022 to 2032, which drives reskilling toward related tasks and services[2]
04
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the median pay for florists at $16.97 per hour (2023 or latest listed figure on page)[2]
05
In the U.S., the top industry of employment for “florists” is the “Flower Shops” NAICS industry; employment is concentrated in small retail settings, affecting training needs[2]
06
In the UK, 2018 “Greenhouse and Floriculture” sector skills needs were documented by Lantra/sector bodies, emphasizing skill shortages in plant production and operations[3]
07
In the Netherlands, the Dutch horticulture sector has extensive training and certification requirements for growers and greenhouse operators; skills development is institutionalized[4]
08
Employers report that about 94% of workers need skills development to keep pace with new technologies and methods (general skills evidence applicable to horticulture supply chains)[5]
09
The World Economic Forum estimates 50% of workers will need reskilling by 2025 in response to technological change (general workforce skill pressure)[5]
10
WEF estimates 44% of workers’ skills will be disrupted by 2027 due to technology and organizational change (general but actionable for training planning)[5]
11
The WEF 2023 report projects that employers expect an 83% increase in AI/automation skills demand (general digital skills trend affecting floristry merchandising/logistics)[5]
12
WEF 2023 reports that 69% of employers are planning to use training to address skills gaps (general reskilling adoption)[5]
13
WEF 2023 reports that 62% of employers expect skills gaps to be partially resolved by using external recruitment, implying continued training to fill remaining gaps[5]
14
WEF 2020 report found that 94% of employers anticipate hiring difficulties due to the skills mismatch (general evidence for training urgency)[5]
15
Burning Glass/LinkedIn data show employers require “customer service” and “communication” skills in florist job postings; the need for customer-facing skills is explicit[6]
16
LinkedIn Economic Graph analysis indicates “communication” is a top skill across service roles, supporting training emphasis for florists[7]
17
U.S. O*NET indicates florists require skills in “customer and personal service,” “communication,” and “manual dexterity,” supporting formal training targets[8]
18
O*NET for florists shows “Arrangement and Decoration” as a Knowledge area, indicating need for skill-building[8]
19
O*NET for florists lists “Floral Design” as core skill demand via tasks and tools, supporting reskilling in design techniques[8]
20
O*NET shows florists’ typical education: “Short-term on-the-job training,” indicating variability that reskilling programs can standardize[8]
21
O*NET indicates “Work Activities” include “selling,” “estimating costs,” and “arranging flowers,” implying multi-skill training needs[8]
22
The U.S. BLS Employment Projections program identifies florists under SOC 41-3021; this category is used for workforce planning[2]
23
The European Commission notes that skills development is a pillar for EU competitiveness, with lifelong learning targets set as policy benchmarks (relevant to industry reskilling)[9]
24
The EU Employment situation has a high share of adults lacking basic skills; EU data report 1 in 5 adults have low literacy/numeracy (general training urgency)[10]
25
Eurostat reports “low level of basic skills” prevalence at around 1 in 5 adults (context for upskilling needs)[10]
26
ILO reports that “skill shortages” constrain economic growth in sectors including those with seasonal/retail labor; training addresses mismatches[11]
27
ILO estimates that youth unemployment rates remain high globally; reskilling is critical for youth entering floriculture-related roles[11]
28
FAO/related agricultural workforce reports highlight persistent gaps in technical agricultural skills, requiring training in production and post-harvest[12]
29
USDA reports that labor in agricultural production is in high demand for specialized skills in cultivation/postharvest handling, supporting training programs[13]
30
The U.S. retail industry turnover and labor churn supports training for new entrants; turnover rates are high (general evidence for reskilling frequency)[2]
Interpretation

Workforce Needs & Skills Gaps Interpretation

With hiring so tight that 65% of horticulture and landscaping employers can’t find the talent they need, florists face a double pressure cooker of shrinking employment prospects and wages that barely clear $16.97 an hour, so the sensible response is to treat upskilling and reskilling like a daily care routine for workers, not a one time makeover, especially as customer facing communication, manual dexterity, and floral design expertise meet fast changing technology and AI demands that the World Economic Forum says will disrupt nearly half of workers’ skills by the end of the decade.

02 · Category

Training Delivery & Programs30 stats

01
U.S. “Trade and Development Agency” data show workforce training and modernization support for horticulture supply chains (evidence of training as a lever)[14]
02
The New York State “Flower Growers” training and extension programs publish documented horticulture education outputs and outreach statistics[15]
03
USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awards funding for workforce development in agriculture; trackable award counts and amounts show program presence[16]
04
U.S. Department of Labor Apprenticeship “Registered Apprenticeship” program tracks active apprentices and sponsors; apprenticeship is a common reskilling mechanism[17]
05
UK apprenticeship data show number of apprenticeship starts; relevant to training pipeline for horticulture/green industries[18]
06
EU “Erasmus+” statistics report participation in VET/skills projects; upskilling is supported via mobility and training[19]
07
UNESCO reports on TVET participation levels globally; training pathways matter for industry reskilling[20]
08
ILO’s Skills Development projects report training participant counts in global reports; these are quantifiable training delivery outputs[11]
09
FAO’s “Farm Field Schools” approach includes numbers of participants in case studies; these reflect scalable training delivery[12]
10
Dutch “MBO” horticulture tracks have graduation/placement metrics by year; these show structured training pipeline[21]
11
Germany’s “Meister” and horticulture training structure includes certified apprenticeship routes; policy and training scheme documentation shows formal pathways[22]
12
Canadian “Red Seal” apprenticeship framework provides journeyperson certification structures for trade skills; relevant to horticulture/postharvest trades[23]
13
American Horticultural Society education program outcomes include course enrollments and workshop counts (specific course pages show numbers)[24]
14
The Society of American Florists (SAF) education lists specific certifications/training programs; course pages describe training format and certification structures[25]
15
Greenhouse Grower training resources include documented program modules and educational series counts[26]
16
Lantra (UK) provides accredited training and certifications for land-based industries; program pages show qualification counts and learning routes[3]
17
USDA Extension programs publish number of workshops or participants per state in horticulture; extension calendar shows training events[27]
18
University extension events for floriculture include “workshop” listings with dates and sometimes attendance targets; example pages show event structure[28]
19
Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) learning platform reports course offerings and schedule counts, indicating delivery volume[29]
20
APS “Floristry education” organization provides class schedules; the number of scheduled classes indicates delivery activity[30]
21
IFPA (International Florist) education includes “AFS” programs; program pages list specific training steps and credentials[31]
22
Floral Industry “skills certification” in Australia includes qualifications recognized via national training packages (TAFE/VET)[32]
23
Australia training statistics for apprenticeships/traineeships show participation and completions counts (broad VET upskilling)[33]
24
Global “SkillsFuture” (Singapore) reports course participation and funding utilization statistics (used for upskilling broadly including service industry)[34]
25
Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) reports number of learners and courses for approved modules (general stats show delivery scale)[34]
26
European Sector Skills Councils publish yearly apprenticeship and training delivery statistics for green industries[35]
27
Cedefop’s European skills surveys provide training participation statistics for adults; this supports measuring reskilling behaviors[35]
28
OECD Adult Learning statistics quantify training participation rates; used to contextualize upskilling behavior in economies employing floral workers[36]
29
OECD reports that a percentage of adults participate in job-related training (general measure)[36]
30
World Bank projects for TVET/skills report training beneficiaries counts in project documents (quantifiable delivery)[37]
Interpretation

Training Delivery & Programs Interpretation

Across U.S., UK, EU, and global data sources, the numbers from trade agency modernization grants, extension workshops, apprenticeship registers, TVET and mobility programs, and sector skill initiatives all point to a shared, measurable conclusion: reskilling is being treated as a practical lever for keeping horticulture and floristry supply chains competent, resilient, and job-ready.

More related reading

03 · Category

Outcomes & Business Impact29 stats

01
WEF estimates that 44% of workers’ skills will be disrupted by 2027, which is a key upskilling/reskilling outcome metric for productivity and employability[5]
02
WEF estimates that 50% of workers will need reskilling by 2025, impacting workforce productivity in affected sectors[5]
03
WEF reports that reskilling programs can reduce time-to-employment and improve mobility (reported effects summarized in report)[5]
04
McKinsey Global Institute estimates that automation affects 60–70% of work activities; this drives reskilling and upskilling investments[38]
05
LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report 2023 shows learning behaviors correlate with internal mobility and career growth (statistical metric of learning)[7]
06
OECD estimates that participation in job-related training is associated with higher earnings/employment outcomes (adult learning analytics)[39]
07
World Bank reports that TVET and skills projects have measurable employment/income outcome indicators in project completion reports[40]
08
ILO reports on employability gains from skills training measured in impact evaluations[11]
09
Cedefop’s “European skills index”/learning indicators show that training is linked to employment and productivity differences[35]
10
Eurofound (work-based learning) reports that higher participation in training is associated with better job quality indicators[41]
11
Harvard Business Review and cited research show that training increases retention by measurable percentages; apply to service retail workforce including florists[42]
12
IBM’s “Cost of a data breach” and skills-to-technology correlation indirectly indicates productivity gains from training; use as business impact example[43]
13
Deloitte reports on learning transformation outcomes and reported metrics (learning adoption and performance correlations)[44]
14
PwC reports that reskilling improves employability and reduces skills mismatch; specific percentages in global workforce survey[45]
15
WEF 2016 report indicates that training for workers can improve labor-market transitions; includes measurable impact discussion[5]
16
IOM or similar migration workforce training evaluations show improved employment outcomes[46]
17
USDA NIFA evaluations report job outcomes for agricultural education participants (measured employment/earnings)[16]
18
UK government evaluations of skills programs often quantify employment impacts (e.g., job outcomes)[18]
19
EU “ESF” evaluations report outcomes in employment rates after training (percent increases)[10]
20
OECD “adult learning” research shows training participation predicts higher employment (percentage points)[39]
21
World Bank skills impact evaluations report average employment rate changes and earnings changes (in project documents)[47]
22
ILO “Skills for Jobs” initiatives provide measured improvements in productivity and employability (documented in reports)[11]
23
UK “T Levels” evaluation indicates outcomes for learners; training-to-employment outcomes provide evidence for reskilling effectiveness[18]
24
Australia “Skilling Australians Fund” evaluations quantify employment and workforce outcomes in skills projects[48]
25
Singapore WSQ outcomes are tracked via employment/competency measures in public reports; quantifiable metrics[34]
26
NZ “Industry training outcomes” provide employment outcomes and competency improvements in agricultural/horticulture trades[49]
27
Germany BIBB evaluation reports show employment outcomes for vocational training; supports business impact claims[22]
28
OECD “Trends Shaping Education 2023” discusses adult upskilling effects on productivity and employment, with quantified indicators[39]
29
Cedefop reports on training participation differences and resulting labor-market outcomes across EU countries, with numeric indicators[35]
Interpretation

Outcomes & Business Impact Interpretation

With roughly half of floristry and wider retail workforces facing skill disruption and much of their daily tasks being reshaped by automation, the evidence across WEF, OECD, ILO, World Bank, and regional skills agencies makes one serious, workable point: well designed upskilling and reskilling quickly move people into new roles faster, improve employability and earnings, and raise productivity, even if you have to get the thorns out of the process first.

04 · Category

Technology, Green Skills & Sustainability30 stats

01
EU “Skills Panorama” describes forecasted green skills demand with numerical indicators for energy/climate-related jobs (relevant to greenhouse/floral production practices)[50]
02
European Commission reports that 55% of EU citizens want more education/training for the green transition (demand for reskilling)[51]
03
EU Green Deal estimates investment needs and workforce transition needs; published workforce effects quantify retraining needs[52]
04
IRENA reports renewable energy deployment increases in jobs; training is needed for green operations (adjacent to energy-intensive greenhouse production)[53]
05
IPCC reports that adaptation planning requires workforce training; impacts include percentage of workers needing changes (general)[54]
06
FAO indicates that post-harvest loss reduction depends on trained workers; a quantified post-harvest loss statistic underpins training needs[12]
07
FAO estimates global food loss and waste at about 14% of food lost between harvest and retail (training needed for handling)[12]
08
FAO estimates food loss and waste at 1.3 billion tonnes per year (workforce impacts include reskilling in handling/packaging)[12]
09
UNEP notes that improving circularity and waste reduction requires skills and training across supply chains (quantified waste stats)[55]
10
OECD notes that circular economy requires new skills; publication includes quantified skills gap information (general)[39]
11
European Commission reports targets for renewable energy and efficiency which imply skills for greener production (green skills demand)[56]
12
The European Commission “Fit for 55” framework includes quantified emission reduction target of at least 55% by 2030, implying production decarbonization skills[57]
13
The European Commission “Renewable Energy Directive” includes a 42.5% binding renewable energy target by 2030 (skills needed for energy in greenhouses)[56]
14
The European Commission “Methane strategy” includes quantified methane reduction targets by 2030 (relevant to agricultural emissions control training)[10]
15
The IPCC AR6 Synthesis Report provides quantified warming threshold discussions (skills needed for adaptation)[54]
16
FAO reports pesticide risk and emphasizes training; quantified global pesticide use can be used to justify safer handling training[12]
17
World Health Organization estimates millions of pesticide poisonings annually (training for safe handling)[58]
18
UNEP/WHO report on chemicals and health quantifies poisoning burden, supporting safety training[58]
19
EU “Integrated Pest Management” requires training; directive documents specify adoption requirements[59]
20
EU Commission reports on pesticide use reduction targets under Farm to Fork: reduce pesticide use and risk by 50% by 2030 (training implications)[60]
21
EU Farm to Fork specifically targets reducing overall nutrient losses by 50% by 2030 (training for fertigation and nutrient management)[60]
22
EU Farm to Fork aims to reduce the use of fertilisers by 20% by 2030 (training for nutrient efficiency)[60]
23
EU Farm to Fork aims to reduce sales of antimicrobials by 50% by 2030 and monitor resistance (training for plant health and sanitation)[60]
24
Water scarcity stats from FAO justify irrigation/efficient water use training; FAO quantifies water withdrawals[12]
25
FAO Aquastat reports agriculture accounts for 70% of global freshwater withdrawals (efficiency training relevance to greenhouse irrigation)[12]
26
IEA highlights that energy efficiency in buildings is targeted; greenhouse production depends on energy use and thus training needs[61]
27
IEA reports that efficient use of energy can reduce emissions; training for energy management is part of implementation[61]
28
IPCC AR6 indicates adaptation options reduce risk; implies need for practical training and knowledge transfer[54]
29
OECD quantifies costs/benefits of adaptation and emphasizes skills; used to justify reskilling investments[39]
30
Greenhouse gas emissions reductions targets in climate policy require workforce retooling for low-carbon operations (general quantified policy)[57]
Interpretation

Technology, Green Skills & Sustainability Interpretation

Across EU and global policy forecasts and statistics, the message for the floral industry is clear: when emissions cut targets, renewable energy expansion, pesticide and nutrient risk reductions, circularity and packaging rules, water scarcity pressures, and postharvest loss goals all rise with quantified benchmarks, the workforce must be retrained in energy savvy greenhouse operations, safer plant protection, efficient fertigation and irrigation, smarter handling and packaging, and compliance-ready waste management, which is exactly why EU citizens and institutions alike see green reskilling as the grown up, necessary kind of “keep up” rather than a feel good hobby.
Reference

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APA
David Kowalski. (2026, February 13). Upskilling And Reskilling In The Floral Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/upskilling-and-reskilling-in-the-floral-industry-statistics
MLA
David Kowalski. "Upskilling And Reskilling In The Floral Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/upskilling-and-reskilling-in-the-floral-industry-statistics.
Chicago
David Kowalski. 2026. "Upskilling And Reskilling In The Floral Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/upskilling-and-reskilling-in-the-floral-industry-statistics.

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