University of Advancing Technology's Official Technology Blog

Alessandra Caballero Sosa recently graduated from University of Advancing Technology (UAT) in May 2021. The job hunt was difficult—she spent around three months applying for jobs—but she found her way at FabCom, an integrated marketing, advertising and brand experience agency.

“Even though I never thought I would be working at a marketing company, I still enjoy it. It gives me the experience I need being in a studio environment, working with the kind of software we’re using and working with a team—the responsibilities, communicating, sharing tasks, stuff like that. It was difficult, but I’m glad I ended up here,” shares Alessandra.

Knowing how challenging it can be to break into industry, Alessandra offers recent graduates advice, “Just be patient. For me, it was very stressful. Sometimes I thought I wasn’t good enough, or that no one wanted to work with me, but it’s really a matter of experience. Most places are looking for someone who has been working for a while. If you don’t get the job you want right away, don’t feel like it’s a personal thing.”

Alessandra worked as a 3D modeler for the HReality™ project, a professional virtual platform focused on learning, knowledge transfer and networking. This was a great project for her because she loves creating models, textures and environments.

“I really like texturing and creating materials for the 3D models. What I enjoy most with textures is trying to recreate how things are used, and copy how they look in real life. I’ve always liked textures in real life, patterns, and all sorts of visual things when it comes to objects and buildings,” Alessandra explains.

Alessandra found a lot of value from her time at UAT engrossed in its amazing learning environment. Originally attending UAT for its quality of curriculum within the game art and animation program, along with the leading edge equipment and tight-knit campus, she quickly became excited for the opportunity to go back to campus to audit classes throughout her professional career.

“The best thing I learned [at UAT] was to adapt to new things. For example, moving to a different country and being in a different culture. Also, learning software in a day or something because I needed to be able to work in some classes, and I had never used the programs before.”

Transitioning from university into the workforce has been an exciting challenge. Alessandra feels like she’s becoming more of an adult with new responsibilities, like organizing money. While the job isn’t a piece of cake, “It’s cool here.” Her perspective on work-life balance has also been challenging, realizing she needs to have more separation between work and her personal life. “I don’t want to get burned out. That’s a big change I’ve noticed.”

For other artists, Alessandra offers this advice, “Try not to compare your work to others. You don’t know how different their experiences are, so you really can’t compare yourself to them. You’re a different person. Try to work on and improve yourself instead of comparing to others’ work.”

Alessandra finds inspiration all around her. Inspired by her mom, who has always encouraged her to never stop trying to achieve her dreams, Alessandra is determined to achieve what she really wants. She also finds inspiration in video games, like Borderlands and Bioshock, and environmental artists, stating, “I really love looking at their work, it encourages me to keep practicing and trying new stuff.” She enjoys spending time walking and playing with her dog Sophie, a three-year-old yellow lab. She also likes drawing and watching movies and TV shows.

Meet more UAT alumni like Alessandra.