The College recently reconnected with Les Baxter (SPC 1991-96) who loves life, family, work and even has his own Youtube channel.
Where has life taken you since leaving SPC?
It has been a journey, one where I never settled on what I really wanted to do with my life since leaving school. At the time IT was moving rapidly so I thought I’d chase a career with that. I did several IT courses in the next two to four years. I was in and out of different part-time jobs and my career was never going anywhere!
Still being young and partying and having a good time was high on my agenda. My life settled once I met my partner Renee in 2005. She is from a farm east of Hamilton, Victoria.
I landed a good job at VicRoads in 2007. At VicRoads I worked on the front counter in the Customer Service Centre (CSC) Wendouree where I conducted licence testing and registering vehicles. I probably served many ex St Pat’s boys! I loved that job apart from the work politics.
I also had the great opportunity to undertake secondments in different departments in VicRoads of which one such role was being a Surveillance Officer of which I enjoyed and was fascinated with road construction.
As time grew with VicRoads at the height (also lows) of 2020, I was burning out at the CSC and my next big career break came in 2022 when an email from another VicRoads Department expressed interest in a Surveillance Role with External works. So I responded to the email and got the job. I haven’t looked back since, I have my own work car which is my mobile office and get to see the best of western Victoria from Geelong to the SA border.
I work in conjunction with developers and their contractors that build private infrastructure that connects to the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) (Ex-VicRoads) assets. My role is to make sure they build as per DTP has allowed them to construct. Pretty exciting stuff.
Renee and I have a daughter Tabitha who is 14. I played footy for the Ballarat Swans (reserves) up until 2004 and still play cricket for VRI-Delacombe since 2001. I have taken over 400 wickets. I still open the bowling although in the lowest grade we have as the mind is willing but the body is shot.
I enjoy fishing, the weather (storms), cars (I have a Mark 2 Escort panel van) and I have a Youtube channel – https://www.youtube.com/@lestabithasadventures
We still live in Ballarat in Mitchell Park and I have a man cave!
Do you have family ties with SPC?
There have been a few Baxters who attended SPC. My younger brother Tristan (SPC 1994-99) and my cousins Paul (SPC 1994-97, PY1999) & Joseph (SPC 2006-11) went to SPC. My uncle Kieran Baxter taught at SPC.
What are your fondest memories of your time at St Patrick’s College?
Honestly, I can’t remember many memories! I got up to no good. But most of the time I was a quiet reserved student.
I enjoyed both cricket and footy. I used to love playing jerks (handball). I enjoyed maths, woodwork and metalwork classes. I was never driven to school, I either rode my bike or walked, rain, hail or shine from Alfredton.
Which teacher from your time at SPC had the greatest impact on you? Why?
I can’t remember them as such. Although Br Zoch’s maths classes were brilliant, Sin, Cos, Tan. And the fact we reckon he had a tunnel network under the school. I did have some good teachers such as: Michael Brady, Malcom Barnes, Peter Farley (well I was never on his bad side; I was his unofficial secretary in Year 10?), Harry Gibcus, Peter Gutteridge.
In Year 9 we were terrible; I blame hormones.
How has your education shaped your professional life?
Can’t complain. Such is life! If I had my time again, I would’ve pursued a trade; plenty of money to be made and lots of work.
How has your time at SPC shaped your personal values and your family life?
Being a Christian it instilled good Catholic values of treating people with respect. My motto is to treat others the way I’d like to be treated. Also life is too short to hold grudges. Yeah you get cross at times but 99 per cent it is a waste of energy and where does it get you?
If you could pass on one message to the students of today, what would it be?
Enjoy school, you are only young once, have fun! It isn’t the end of the world if your plans and dreams don’t go as expected. The world is in a perilous place at the moment and it has gotten so small; thanks to the internet which wasn’t really around in my days at SPC.
