Jorge Gomez '19

Alum Steps Out of Comfort Zone and Into Career

Jorge Gomez '19 is not afraid to make mistakes. As an Electrical and Computer Engineering major at UAlbany, he learned early on to try, fail and try again.

Today, Gomez is thriving at ORBCOMM, an Internet of Things (IoT) company that delivers solutions for business customers across transportation, supply chain, warehousing and inventory, and other industries. As a Firmware Engineer, he values the hands-on education he received at UAlbany — and the mistakes he made along the way. 

"The knowledge I gained while doing research at UAlbany has helped me with the projects I’m working on now."

At UAlbany, Gomez was immersed in experiential learning by actively participating in research, working with GPS equipment and learning to program, all of which is relevant to his work at ORBCOMM.

"I do a lot of programming at the lower level using C. It’s something I enjoyed doing while I was at UAlbany, so I’m happy to be able to be doing this at my job," Gomez said.

Gomez not only learned invaluable skills and experience through his coursework but he also developed the mindset to persevere and succeed.

"When I had first started doing research, I crashed the drone I was working on while trying to fly it autonomously. If there’s one thing I learned, it’s to not be afraid to make mistakes and to keep pushing forward with whatever you’re working on," he said.

His advice to current UAlbany students? Talk to faculty.

"I’d recommend reaching out more to the faculty at the ECE department. I know that if I hadn’t reached out, I wouldn’t have the position I’m in today. Sometimes, stepping out of your comfort zone can really pay off."