The BC Road Builders’ RoadShow rolled into the Central Cariboo region last week, offering students, job seekers, and community members a hands-on introduction to the road maintenance and road building industry. With simulator stations, community BBQs, and meaningful conversations about career pathways, the two-day event proved to be a success—and a testament to the power of collaboration.
A Community-Driven Initiative
The idea to participate in this event grew out of a joint Tŝilhqot’in ʔEten Nadiltil (TEN) and Dawson Road Maintenance (DRM) road trip in January, where team members visited five Tŝilhqot’in National Government (TNG) communities to explore career development opportunities. These conversations underscored the importance of bringing job awareness and skills training directly to remote First Nations communities—and ultimately inspired efforts to bring the RoadShow to Tl’etinqox.
Thanks to enthusiastic support from BC Road Builders and strong collaboration between DRM, TNG and TEN, the vision became a reality this spring.
Day One: Tl’etinqox
The RoadShow kicked off in Tl’etinqox, where community interest was high. The arrival of a local school bus sparked a lively turnout of students eager to test the simulators and enjoy a BBQ lunch. Community members also dropped by to try the equipment and speak with industry representatives.
Dan Palesch, Strategic Manager of Stakeholder Relations, and Shea De La Mare, Quality Manager—both from Dawson Road Maintenance—were on hand to speak about careers in road maintenance and road building.
Day Two: Williams Lake
The following day in Williams Lake brought a smaller—but highly engaged—crowd. With fewer participants, students had more time to explore each simulator station and ask detailed questions about the equipment and career paths available.
Dan and Shea continued conversations with students throughout the day, including a memorable discussion with Samuel, a student from Yunesit’in First Nation. Now living in Williams Lake, Samuel expressed strong interest in pursuing his Class 3 or 1 licence to become an equipment operator—a clear example of how these events can plant seeds for future careers.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Careers in Road Maintenance, Road Building & Other Trades
We’re proud to support initiatives like the BC Road Builders’ RoadShow. From outreach events to on-the-job training, we are committed to helping young people—and especially those in remote communities—discover meaningful careers in road maintenance, road building, and other trades.
This event served not only as a showcase of exciting job opportunities, but also as a reminder of what’s possible when organizations work together to invest in people, skills, and communities.
Explore career opportunities with Dawson Group at DawsonGroup.ca/Careers.