Key Takeaways
Julio Diaz, a senior training and support specialist at WP Engine, emphasizes continuous learning and leadership by example. He believes in asking questions and striving for personal improvement daily.
Julioās hands-on approach to training new employees at WP Engine showcases the importance of practical mentorship and leading by example. He ensures his mentees observe his workflow before taking on tasks themselves.
Julioās journey at WP Engine highlights the value of dedication, growth, and genuine support for colleaguesā success. His focus on helping others succeed and seeing their career advancements is a key aspect of his role.
WP Engineās success is powered by dedicated individuals like Julio, who prioritize learning and growth within the company culture. Julioās advice for potential employees is to come prepared to learn and evolve within the organization.
In our Meet the Experts series, we connect with the people working behind the scenes every day to power confidence online
WP Engine has more than 1,000 employees worldwide. From our award-winning customer support team to the engineers who keep our platform fast and performant, each role is as unique as the person who fills it.
We take pride in our teamsā expertise, whether in technical troubleshooting, driving relentless innovation across our fully managed platform, or providing exceptional support for our agency partners.
In this ongoing series, we speak with WP Engineās experts to learn more about their roles, their areas of expertise, and how they support customer success.
In this interview, we speak with Julio Diaz, a senior training and support specialist based in Austin, Texas.
Say hello to Julio!
Meet Julio Diaz. Heās a cooking enthusiast who enjoys 3D modeling and sci-fi audiobooks. Heās also a vital member of WP Engine.
Julio joined the company in 2014, starting with WP Engineās first-ever training class. Now, he uses his talents to train other employees on WP Engineās systems, including our chat support.
āItās definitely fun thinking back on how it all started,ā Julio says. āI didnāt even know what WordPress was, let alone WP Engine. After my initial interview, I was invited to a happy hour. Apparently, I left an excellent impression because ten years later, Iām lucky to be able to tell this story.ā
Aside from 3D printing and cooking, Julio enjoys playing video games, kayaking, and disc golf, but only āwhen itās not 900 degrees in Texas.ā
Julioās career journey
Because Julio has been helping train WP Engine employees for years, he has a deep understanding of our technical processes. This makes him a perfect mentor for new employees who are learning WP Engineās systems for the first time, and he takes a hands-on approach to that mentorship.
āI make it a point to lead by example. Before anyone I train takes a chat, Iāll take one myself and have the class observe my workflow,ā he explains. āThis keeps me practiced enough to help teach others.ā
His hands-on approach to teaching likely stems from the fact that, before Julio joined the company in 2014, he had received little technical training himself.
āI was on the fence about applying to WP Engine because I didnāt think I was technical enough to join,ā he says, ābut I was ready for a new adventure.ā
Now, ten years into that adventure, Julio has taught dozens of employees, and heās learned plenty of lessons along the way.
āThe biggest lesson I had to learn (and relearn) is that leadership isnāt a title,ā he says. āI thought I had to be a manager before I could learn about leadership. Iām glad Iāve since learned that isnāt the case.ā
Julioās words of wisdom: Ask questions and keep learning
Speaking of learning, continued education is a huge part of Julioās job as a training facilitator. For him, learning means asking a lot of questions.
āIām not afraid to ask questions. As a trainer, I often hear comments like, āI have a dumb questionā¦āā he explains. āI tell all my classes that the only dumb question, in my opinion, is one thatās never asked.ā
That kind of openness and willingness to keep learning makes Julio exactly the kind of person you want tracking down answers to customer inquiries and teaching others how to do the same.
āIf I donāt understand something, Iāll go turn over all the rocks, and oftentimes, other things get fixed along the way,ā he says. āSome might not want to rock the boat, stir the pot, push the red buttonāIāll do all of those things. If someone isnāt reporting something that needs to be fixed, how are we going to get better as a whole?ā
Julioās dedication to the success of WP Engine and our new employees comes from his genuine desire to see others succeed.
āNot only is my own growth good to see, but watching the growth of my peers is equally rewarding,ā he says. āSeeing those Iāve trained getting promoted and furthering their careers is one of my favorite parts of the job.ā
As a training facilitator and mentor to so many new WP Engine employees, Julio is full of good advice for those embarking on a new adventure. Whether itās a new career, a new role, or any other new chapter, this tidbit seems applicable no matter what your next adventure is.
āStrive to improve yourself each day. If you miss the mark, try a different path. Little by little, youāll get there.ā
Powered by people
When asked what his best advice would be for someone pursuing a career at WP Engine, Julioās instructions are simple: āCome ready to learn and grow, because thatās how we roll!ā
WP Engine is powered by people like Julio, who work around the world and around the clock to optimize our platform and products.
Want to find out more about what itās like to work at WP Engine? Visit our careers site to see the roles we currently have open and check out our blog for more information about all the great people who work here!