Meet Jake – Otter’s First Apprentice!

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Meet Jake

Apprenticeships are becoming an increasingly popular option for young people who don’t want to take the traditional university route into a career. It’s taken a while, but in our 60th year as a business, we’ve taken on our very first apprentice!

Jake Leighton is from the Pinhoe area of Exeter. He took his GCSEs at Clyst Vale then went on to Exeter College where he studied A level Law, English Language and Sociology.

Jake successfully applied for the role of marketing apprentice in our busy marketing department based at our Ottery St Mary garden centre. The Level 3 multi-channel marketer apprenticeship is designed to support the development of skills in “customer focussed marketing activities that drive the demand for a product or service.”

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Jake says “I had decided not to go to university but I wasn’t sure what career path to follow. The apprenticeship at Otter uses my skills in English, which I was keen on. It’s giving me plenty of creative freedom to experiment and try different things out.”

Hearing From Jake and the Team

His day to day activity includes providing support for social media, newsletters and website page design. He also helps to manage Otter’s online plant shop, from driving sales, managing e-commerce, to answering customer queries, organising deliveries – and even picking and packing plants and bulbs. In 2025 he will be running his first full marketing campaign, giving him the chance to draw on his creativity and giving him useful experience for his future career.

Before he joined us, Jake hadn’t known about Otter or the varied business of a garden centre, so he’s had a lot of new information to absorb. He says that he’s really enjoying the experience: “There’s a bit of everything, every day is different, and I feel I’m learning as I go.”

Marketing Manager Chris Amphlett is delighted in how Otter’s first apprentice is working out for her team. “We definitely appreciate having an apprentice. Jake gives us another pair of hands to help with all our marketing tasks. And having a younger person involved gives us a different perspective; Jake certainly brings a fresh creative viewpoint.”

For Jake, the apprenticeship will provide invaluable benefit for his future aims. “Ultimately I’d like to have my own business and my experience at Otter is giving me a really good grounding in business.”

Good luck to Jake, and we look forward to seeing your first marketing campaign take wings next year!

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