Meet the Experts: Julio Diaz

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 teams’ 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 Engine’s 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. He’s a cooking enthusiast who enjoys 3D modeling and sci-fi audiobooks. He’s also a vital member of WP Engine.

Julio joined the company in 2014, starting with WP Engine’s first-ever training class. Now, he uses his talents to train other employees on WP Engine’s systems, including our chat support. 

“It’s definitely fun thinking back on how it all started,” Julio says. “I didn’t 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, I’m lucky to be able to tell this story.”

Aside from 3D printing and cooking, Julio enjoys playing video games, kayaking, and disc golf, but only “when it’s not 900 degrees in Texas.”

Julio’s 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 Engine’s systems for the first time, and he takes a hands-on approach to that mentorship.

“I make it a point to lead by example. Before anyone I train takes a chat, I’ll take one myself and have the class observe my workflow,” he explains. “This keeps me practiced enough to help teach others.”

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. 

“I was on the fence about applying to WP Engine because I didn’t think I was technical enough to join,” he says, “but I was ready for a new adventure.”

Now, ten years into that adventure, Julio has taught dozens of employees, and he’s learned plenty of lessons along the way. 

“The biggest lesson I had to learn (and relearn) is that leadership isn’t a title,” he says. “I thought I had to be a manager before I could learn about leadership. I’m glad I’ve since learned that isn’t the case.”

Julio’s words of wisdom: Ask questions and keep learning

Speaking of learning, continued education is a huge part of Julio’s job as a training facilitator. For him, learning means asking a lot of questions.

“I’m not afraid to ask questions. As a trainer, I often hear comments like, ‘I have a dumb question…’” he explains. “I tell all my classes that the only dumb question, in my opinion, is one that’s never asked.”

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.

“If I don’t understand something, I’ll go turn over all the rocks, and oftentimes, other things get fixed along the way,” he says. “Some might not want to rock the boat, stir the pot, push the red button—I’ll do all of those things. If someone isn’t reporting something that needs to be fixed, how are we going to get better as a whole?”

Julio’s dedication to the success of WP Engine and our new employees comes from his genuine desire to see others succeed. 

“Not only is my own growth good to see, but watching the growth of my peers is equally rewarding,” he says. “Seeing those I’ve trained getting promoted and furthering their careers is one of my favorite parts of the job.”

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 it’s a new career, a new role, or any other new chapter, this tidbit seems applicable no matter what your next adventure is.

“Strive to improve yourself each day. If you miss the mark, try a different path. Little by little, you’ll get there.”

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When asked what his best advice would be for someone pursuing a career at WP Engine, Julio’s instructions are simple: “Come ready to learn and grow, because that’s how we roll!”

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 it’s 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!