Our team at NC3 has some impressive employees in our ranks and this Staff Spotlight series aims to highlight the incredibly talented individuals who work with us. We’ll be featuring a new interview in our monthly newsletters, here on our website, and on our social media pages each month.

This month’s Staff Spotlight features Zuri Vazquez. Zuri is an Events Associate on the Train-the-Trainer team and the NC3 Program Manager for the NC3/Palmer Hamilton/Dremel/Tormach partnership.

Not only has Zuri been a key player throughout the transition of our in-person Train-the-Trainer events to a virtual format, she also acts as our liaison between schools in the NC3 Network, prospective schools, and our industry partners Palmer Hamilton, Dremel and Tormach. As a wearer of many hats, Zuri ensures these partnerships and our Virtual Train-the-Trainer events run like a well-oiled machine!

Check out our Q&A session below to learn more about how Zuri first became interested in career and technical education, what she enjoys most about her position at NC3, what ‘Zuri’ actually stands for, and more!

What do you like most about your job? 

A big part of my job is contacting attendees for Train-the-Trainer classes. I love doing this because although we’re virtual right now, it allows for a personal connection between NC3 and the instructors who participate in our trainings. I get the opportunity to connect with someone new every day, and our instructors are all over the country! I’m also very lucky to have a great team. It truly makes a difference when you are surrounded by awesome people that you fit in with.

What has been your favorite project while working with NC3?

My favorite project so far has been reformatting our Train-the-Trainer classes to a virtual format. I saw how much planning went into this from my team members, and it was great to be a part of it because it was something that had never been done before. There was a learning curve and we continue to learn more about how we can improve after each training. I’m excited to see how we will continue to innovate these remote trainings, and what the future of virtual trainings will be.

What’s something most people don’t know about you?

Since I don’t have an accent and I have a fairly extensive vocabulary, most people are shocked to find out Spanish is my first language and that I didn’t learn English until the first grade. Also, since I go by Zuri a majority of the time, people are surprised to find out my first name is actually Zurishaddai.

What do you like to do on your days off? 

I spend most of my weekends with my family or friends, going on nature walks, going to the beach, or going out to eat. Sundays are usually my lazy day to relax from the week. I clean my house and then curl up to read a book or watch a movie.

What job did you do before you started working with NC3?

Before joining the NC3 team, I worked as an HR/bilingual marketing intern at a manufacturing company that offered an array of manufacturing services such as injection and conventional rubber molding, plastic molding, lathe cutting, die-cutting, and finishing services. I also worked as a translator and secretary for a construction company based out of Mchenry, Illinois.

What was the best vacation you’ve ever had?

Going to Disney World with my family for new years. I love fireworks so it was incredible to see the fireworks show over Cinderella’s castle.

Want to learn more about upcoming Virtual Train-the-Trainer events, or about NC3’s certifications through Palmer Hamilton, Dremel and Tormach? Click here to contact Zuri today.