21 November 2025

From operator to leading teams – Trent’s mining journey

Trent Stocks first joined Whitehaven in 2018 as a plant operator at its Werris Creek mine. Seven years later, he’s a Production Superintendent at Whitehaven’s Tarrawonga mine, with a wealth of experience, a statutory qualification under his belt and a clear passion for helping others grow within the business.

Trent’s career began in Tamworth, working for a small earthmoving company before heading west to the Pilbara with his then-girlfriend (now wife) to take up fly-in, fly-out work (FIFO). He started out as a plant operator and then worked his way up through the ranks to supervising crews and running larger scale jobs.

After a decade of FIFO life, Trent and his wife returned to New South Wales to start a family and settle on their farm near Currabubula. It was then he joined Whitehaven.

“I came to Whitehaven as a plant operator to start with and then within a couple of years worked my way back up into supervising and eventually got the Coal Handling Plant (CHP) Superintendent role at Werris Creek,” he said. “From there I was managing coal stockpiles, the crushing activities and train loading.”

After three years in that role, Trent transitioned to Production Superintendent, guiding the team through the Werris Creek mine closure in 2023, an experience that helped shape his leadership approach. He then took on the role of Operations Superintendent for Gunnedah Basin Haulage, before returning to the coalface at Tarrawonga.

“That’s one great thing with Whitehaven,” Trent said. “It’s made me well-rounded. Coming from WA and operating and supervising, then taking a left field step into leading a team at the CHP, I learned a lot about logistics, coal quality and train loading, and then came back to production. It’s given me experience across all aspects.”

Alongside his career progression, Trent has steadily built his qualifications, first completing his Open Cut Examiner (OCE) ticket, then his Diploma of Surface Operations Management, before recently successfully obtaining his Mining Engineering Manager (MEM) statutory qualification.

“I want to be a leader in the NSW coal industry,” he said. “By obtaining that ticket, it’s a big step towards that. Hopefully down the track it’ll open up opportunities for a statutory role or potentially an Operations Manager position.”

Trent’s pathway didn’t follow the traditional university route. Earning his MEM qualification involved years of dedication, including visiting 15 other mining operations across NSW to learn directly from experienced mine managers.

“I wanted to see what challenges those managers were facing and how they dealt with them,” he said.

“I didn’t have any uni degrees or engineering background. I stepped through the practical way, through the OCE and then study while I was at work.”

Trent is quick to credit Whitehaven, and the leaders he’s worked under, for supporting his growth. He’s also equally passionate about encouraging others to take a leap of faith in their careers.

“The managers I’ve had in my time have really given me the support and invested in me along the way to open up other opportunities,” he said.

“You never really feel ready, because ready’s not a feeling – it’s a decision. If you make that decision to take that leap, you always find a way to make it work and move forward.”

Living locally in Currabubula with his wife and three children, Trent appreciates the balance of community and opportunity that comes with working for Whitehaven.

“There’s plenty of opportunity to grow if you put the time and effort into yourself,” he said. “I was operating machinery in 2018 and now I’m in a Superintendent role with a statutory ticket. I’ve been lucky to have managers that push me to be better every day.”

From operating bulldozers in WA to leading teams at Whitehaven’s Gunnedah Basin operations, Trent’s journey shows how determination, support and seizing opportunities can build a fulfilling and progressive career in mining.

If you’d like to learn more about career opportunities at Whitehaven, visit the People and Careers section of our website.

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