Six years ago, Daniel Fernandez joined Dawson Group as a Thompson Rivers University (TRU) co-op student tasked with moving paper road maintenance forms onto tablets. On October 16, he returned to TRU as Manager of Digital Systems, to inspire the next group of computing science students.
The presentation, held for TRU co-op students, gave them a look at how a 100-year-old construction and road maintenance company is using digitization, automation, and artificial intelligence to change the way work gets done in the field and in the office.
From Co-op Student to Digital Systems Leader
Daniel started at Dawson Group in March of 2020 as a summer co-op student on the TrueContext project for Dawson Road Maintenance. The project moved timecards, road and bridge inspections, and trip inspections from stacks of paper onto iPads in the field.
He stayed connected to the company through the rest of his degree working part time during the school year and full time in the summers. When he graduated from TRU in April 2022, he joined Dawson Group full time as a Systems Analyst.
From there, his work expanded across the Microsoft Power Platform — Power BI, Power Automate, and Power Apps — alongside continued development in TrueContext. Much of that work focused on digitizing data and forms for Dawson Road Maintenance, giving field and office teams faster access to accurate information.
At the end of 2024, Daniel and the team built WRAP, a customized management system for Dawson Road Maintenance. While TrueContext is still used to collect data in the field, WRAP tracks the work as it happens, giving management greater oversight. Supervisors can now approve timecards faster, request revisions from their crews, plan and assign tasks, and see their projects like never before. Public Communications Records (PCRs) and WorkIds are also managed in WRAP.
In 2026, Daniel was promoted to Manager of Digital Systems. Today, he leads the team behind these tools, and their work has grown well past digital forms. That work now includes AI agents and AI-driven automation that support teams across Dawson Group.
From left, Dawson Group Software Developer Interns Pasang Sherpa and Christian Angelo Eserio stand with Daniel Fernandez, Manager of Digital Systems at Dawson Group. Next to them are Leanne Mihalicz, Computer Science Co-op Coordinator at TRU, and Kris Kadaleevana, Career Education Program Assistant at TRU.
What Sets Technology Co-op Students Apart
Interest in Dawson Group’s co-op program has grown significantly. “This year, we received more than 30 applications for each position,” said Daniel. “That’s a big jump from previous years, and we’re so happy to see this level of interest. It tells us that more students are getting excited about technology careers in construction, and the chance to build the systems that keep an industry leader like Dawson Group growing.”
Students can apply through their university co-op programs. Beyond grades, the team looks for personal projects, practical experience, and engagement in their communities.
Daniel encouraged students to showcase their passion through the technical projects they build and to stay curious beyond their coursework. He also emphasized that clear communication and strong collaboration matter just as much as technical ability, especially on a team whose tools are used by crews, supervisors, and managers across the organization.
Dawson Group would like to thank TRU for having Daniel, and every co-op student who came out to hear his story.
Grow Your Career with Dawson Group
Daniel’s team is growing, with a new AI Solutions Developer role now open. Our new developer will be responsible for helping find opportunities for AI across Dawson Group, then building the agents, integrations, and tools to deliver them. The role is permanent and full-time and based in Kamloops. For those who join, Dawson Group offers training and career development, flexible work arrangements, and a comprehensive benefits package.
Interested in our technology careers at Dawson Group?