Paola Núñez Díaz, Class 09
Current place of residence: Hamburg, Germany
Currently working as: Technical Project Manager at Nordex Energy SE & Co. KG
Where are you currently working and what is the biggest issue that you are facing at work or what is currently keeping you busy there?
Nordex Energy SE & Co. KG
I work as a training developer at the Global Technical Academy of Nordex within the Global Service Department. The Academy has the goal of training service technicians who repair and maintain wind turbines all over the globe. I develop training concepts and training materials for wind turbine subsystems and components, prepare technical trainers to train local technicians within their regions, and take care of an International Trainer Network, especially for the American continent and Spain, among other regions.
Has there been a professional challenge since you were a student for which your studies or experiences at the NIT have prepared you for perfectly?
The most remarkable aspect the NIT prepared me for was working and living together with so many different cultures. I had colleagues from so many nations and cultures learning from each other under the same roof, sharing not only delicious food and music from our home countries, but also our views of the world, always with respect and tolerance for each other. At the NIT we had workshops on intercultural communication and other soft skills, which helped us understand and cherish cultural differences. This allows me now to get along better with my colleagues at work, who also come from many different countries, and to try to better cater to the needs of trainers at different regions in the world.
What has happened in your private life in the meantime?
After I graduated from the NIT and TUHH, I moved to work and live in Cologne. I was working as a Development Engineer for some years, but I really enjoyed giving trainings and workshops. This is why I decided to become a full-time teacher for vocational colleges in Germany, which involved a two-year on-the-job training and a state examination. After having taught technical subjects for some years at a vocational college in Cologne, I looked again for a job which would combine technical and teaching skills, which brought me back to Hamburg and has allowed me to reconnect to some of my NIT friends.
What is your most precious / special / remarkable memory from your time studying at the NIT?
I remember many international parties we celebrated in the “common room”, bringing food and drinks from our home countries. Of course, we would always dance at some point. Another memory is: we travelled twice to Berlin for a soccer tournament called “Cup der Privaten”, where teams from different private universities in Germany competed against each other. On the second year, we even managed to enroll an only-girls soccer team. To be honest, for most of us, it was less about the soccer than about the bonding with our peers and the fun of the trip!
How to keep in touch with me:
Via LinkedIn.
Photo above: Paola today
Photo below: With her team at Cup der Privaten in Berlin. Which faces do you recognize? :)