Apprenticeship Spotlight: Josh Vartan, VARTAN

At WS Training, we believe apprenticeships are more than just a qualification… they are transformative experiences. For Josh Vartan, a former hospitality professional turned Support Consultant at VARTAN, his apprenticeship marked a pivotal career change that blended professional growth with personal development. His journey is a powerful example of how apprenticeships offer real-life impact.  

What is VARTAN? 

Firstly, who is VARTAN? VARTAN employed Josh Vartan and worked with WS Training to provide Josh with a Level 3 Business Administration apprenticeship.

Secondly, what do they do? VARTAN are trusted compliance experts, supporting businesses to navigate risk and stay on the right side of rules and regulations. Founded in 2009 by Miles Vartan, the company remains privately owned and continues to be led by its founder today. 

Based in Suffolk, near one of Europe’s busiest ports, VARTAN has grown into one of the UK’s leading compliance consultancies. They work across a wide range of industries including logistics, construction, and education, helping organisations strengthen their systems, improve efficiency, and find new growth opportunities. 

VARTAN specialises in areas such as customs compliance, AEO accreditation, customs warehousing, freeports, operator licensing, ISO standards, and health & safety. With a proven track record and a practical, hands-on approach, they’re a trusted partner for businesses looking to get compliance right. 

From hospitality to business support

In the early days, Josh was known as the class clown. He wasn’t engaged in his education, but prior to his role at VARTAN, Josh worked in the hospitality industry. It was a sector he loved, but one that came with its own challenges, particularly when the pandemic hit. Like many others, Josh found himself reassessing his priorities during those uncertain times. As a father with a young family, achieving a better work–life balance became essential. 

The apprenticeship opportunity came through a recommendation, who suggested a Business Administration apprenticeship with WS Training. Though initially unsure, Josh decided to take the leap. 

Josh told us, “I’m not academic, I have more soft skills. It was a daunting process. But Hayley, my tutor, said we’d take it step by step, section by section. We’ll arrange a meeting and a time, and we did that all the way through”. Breaking each stage into manageable steps helped Josh, and this was something he did with his tutors as they worked through the apprenticeship together.

Learning with WS Training

Learning through masterclasses

“Something I loved and that’s helped me to no end in my profession in general was the masterclasses.” Even though Josh was good at completing the task on each section before the masterclass started, he still enjoyed engaging with people from all different backgrounds and industries. Masterclasses take place online and bring together all WS Training apprentices. They create a space for open conversation between groups of people with different ages, abilities, and views. 

Each masterclass is aligned with a topic in the apprenticeship, offering a space to explore ideas and reflect before tackling the written assignments. Josh even stayed in touch with peers he met during the course, finding a familiar face at a networking event was a bonus.

Developing professional language

Overtime, Josh noticed a shift not just in his own professional language, but in his team’s as well. By using a more professional tone, Josh noticed his colleagues adopted the same style. It’s had a ripple effect within the business, helping improve communication both internally and externally.

Josh says, “our clients take us on for risk management because they don’t have the knowledge, but we do, and using professional language and having good manners is important”.  

Understanding and applying British Values

Josh really deepened his understanding of British Values, especially around the time of Brexit, when those conversations felt particularly relevant. 

What’s been great to see is how he’s taken that learning and applied it in real-world settings. When he’s speaking with international clients, whether it’s about infrastructure, tax regimes, or compliance, he draws on those values to communicate clearly and confidently. It’s provided him with a solid foundation for building trust and navigating complex topics across different cultures. 

Where is Josh now?

What does Josh do at VARTAN?

When Josh started his apprenticeship, he was a trainee manager and is now a Support Consultant. Very similar to an office manager, day to day Josh deals with tasks like chasing payments and chasing audits for ISO standard. Josh has also achieved his international trade qualifications, so he is able to audit for consultants and take some of the workload off them. Josh says, “The level of admin skills I’ve learnt have all been relevant to my day to day working”, which proves how beneficial his apprenticeship has been.   

An advocate for apprenticeships

Today, Josh is passionate about promoting apprenticeships. He recognises their power to change lives and offer opportunities that traditional education paths may not. 

He’s passionate about apprenticeships, because he’s able to talk about it from experience.  

When Josh was in school, he was the class clown, disruptive in classes, not fully take in school education because he wasn’t engaged and wasn’t able to apply it to something that was meaningful. Josh says, “I could see how the apprenticeship would impact my professional life and my families life. I got a distinction I would have laughed if someone told me I’d have got a distinciton. I was also a runner up at the Suffolk Adult Learner Awards, it was lovely to be a part of it. It was nice to talk to other adult learners. The Tutor came back to the awards and it was nice to see her see me achieve”. 

Josh thanks the WS Training staff, “ I had a nice relationship with all staff, they are generous with their time. Tracey was so honest about everything, I knew where I stood, I took a lot from her.” 

Josh Vartan, VARTAN, Level 3 Business Administration apprenticeship

The Level 3 Business Administration apprenticeship is a nationally recognised qualification designed to build essential workplace skills. It’s ideal for individuals looking to develop their knowledge in areas such as:

• Business operations

• Communication and interpersonal skills

• IT and record management

• Project support

• Problem-solving

• Stakeholder and customer relationships

The apprenticeship typically lasts 12–18 months and includes both on-the-job training and off-the-job learning with a qualified tutor. Apprentices also build a portfolio of evidence and complete an end-point assessment to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.

Whether you’re just starting your career or looking to formalise your experience, this apprenticeship opens up doors across multiple sectors.

If you’re inspired by Josh’s story and want to explore how apprenticeships can support you or your business, get in touch with WS Training today. Whether you’re an employer looking to develop your team or an individual ready to take a new step, we’re here to help guide you every step of the way.