Dean Ashcroft is shaping his career in renewables as a travelling technician at SAMCo, applying the skills he developed in Stanwell’s Development Pathways Program and building on them with hands-on experience across wind and solar sites – all while studying mechanical engineering. 

Backed by Stanwell Corporation, Queensland’s largest energy asset owner and generator, Stanwell Asset Maintenance Company (SAMCo) provides reliable operations and maintenance services for clean energy generation and storage. 

As well as keeping renewable assets running safely and efficiently, SAMCo has another important mission – investing in the people who will drive Queensland’s shift to renewable energy, and developing the career pathways of the future. 

That’s why SAMCo is equipping Queensland’s workforce with the skills needed to succeed through its Development Pathways Program. The program empowers energy workers to gain hands-on experience in wind and solar maintenance, building the expertise needed to thrive in a rapidly changing sector.

When opportunity knocks 

For Dean Ashcroft, the Development Pathways Program was a springboard into a new phase of  his career – one that’s been defined by continuous learning. He spent years honing his trade, starting at 14 with a fitter and turner apprenticeship at a small engineering works in Kingaroy. 

Over the next eight years, he worked in machine shops and on the tools throughout the mining and agriculture industries, before joining the team at Stanwell’s Tarong power stations in 2019.

“I started in the ash and dust team as a mechanical fitter,” Dean recalls, “and stayed there until the Development Pathways positions opened up in 2022. The chance to work in a new industry, across multiple sites and states, really appealed to me.”

After participating in SAMCo’s Development Pathways  Program between January 2023 to  March 2024, Dean moved into a full-time role at SAMCo as a travelling technician – taking on a two-weeks-on, two-weeks-off roster that allowed him to contribute to a wide range of renewable energy projects, while progressing his mechanical engineering studies.

“SAMCo has been incredibly supportive of my career goals,” he says. “They’ve given me the flexibility and opportunities I need to keep progressing in my field, including providing some funding to support my Bachelor of Engineering.”

New sites, same high standards 

Shifting from a thermal power station to renewable energy sites has meant adapting to different technologies and environments and site-specific safety requirements. Coming from Stanwell, where safety has always been a core focus, Dean was already used to maintaining the highest of standards – working on wind and solar farms in remote locations has simply introduced new considerations.

“The change in industry came with a lot of new training in first response and rescue, which is useful even outside of work,” he says. 

“The remote sites mean you’ve really got to plan ahead, too. If you forget something or need a spare part, you could be looking at a 1.5-hour round trip just to go and grab it.”

For Dean, the rewards far outweigh the challenges. “I enjoy the culture we’ve created within the team at SAMCo,” he says. “It’s a great group of people, all learning new things together and sharing what we’ve seen. It makes the work so much more enjoyable.”

For anyone starting their own development journey in the renewable energy industry, Dean has one piece of advice: “There’s no such thing as a silly question,” Dean says, “so don’t be afraid to ask. Be open to learning from the people around you, because no one expects you to know everything right away.” 

With SAMCo’s support, Dean is developing his skills and playing a role in Queensland’s shift to renewables – and his story proves that with the right opportunities and a drive to keep learning, there’s always room to grow.