Achieving the CNC dream: Zachary’s story

Jan. 21, 2026 – Zachary Mosqueda didn’t have a background in CNC.

The first steps in his career involved cabinet making. As a guy who loves working with his hands, it was a natural fit.

But there was a spark of curiosity during his cabinet-making stint that shifted his interests.

“I was working at a local shop and noticed they had a CNC machine,” he said. “They were using it to make different cabinet parts.”

From that moment, an appetite to learn more developed.

Zachary started looking around and found an America’s Cutting Edge CNC machining bootcamp in September at Cape Fear Community College.

“It was so cool and interactive,” he said. “It was great seeing how things are made. I really enjoyed it and wanted to continue on with it.”

Through an ACE instructor’s reference to GCM, a medical and semiconductor manufacturing company, Zachary interviewed for a Swiss CNC operator position.

Swiss CNC machines are used for precision machining on small parts.

He was hired within weeks of completing the bootcamp.

“Understanding the basics of CNC and getting hands-on training was really a good stepping stone to work on our machines,” said Nathan Roby, Swiss CNC supervisor at GCM. “We were able to mold him to where we needed him to be.”

Nathan says ACE can serve as a pipeline for new talent into GCM. The program doesn’t make people into machinists in a single bootcamp, but it equips them with the essentials that businesses can work with.

“We’re willing to bring in new people who have a good attitude and want to learn,” he added. “The background that ACE offers is a good step in the right direction.”

Zachary now walks in every day, gets assigned a machine and a job – then gets to work.

What started as an interest inside a cabinet shop has blossomed into the beginning of a fulfilling career.

“It’s great. The things we did in the bootcamp helped me get a feel for what I’m doing here,” Zachary said. “I can easily put two and two together.”

If you’re like Zachary and considering a career shift, start by registering for a free ACE online course today.