Subscribe
  • Home
  • /
  • TechForum
  • /
  • Meeting the new technology demands of the education sector

Meeting the new technology demands of the education sector


Johannesburg, 04 Aug 2021

There is no doubt that, much like many other industries, the education sector has been put through the wringer in the past 18 months. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the sector’s hand with regard to its need to digitally transform in order to facilitate remote learning.

When it comes to the hardware and software needed to enable this, educational institutions not only require a partner with the resources, experience and understanding of the market to supply relevant solutions at quick turnaround, but also one that provides a single point of contact for all their demands.

According to Corne van der Walt, MD at BlueTek, institutions in this arena today are seeking customised hardware and software configurations and aggressive pricing points. They also require professional consultation services to enable the integration of various technologies to enable remote learning.

“As a total IT solutions provider, BlueTek has been delivering value-driven IT solutions to the education and other market sectors for some 28 years. Our partnership with trusted vendors like HP enables us to supply the requisite hardware and software, as well as enterprise networking and server infrastructure, storage infrastructure and school-wide networks. We also install and commission video conferencing and audio visual solutions,” he says.

“We have built a reputation for being much more than a normal ICT supplier. BlueTek has vast experience on which to draw and is seen as a trusted advisor and supplier that focuses on driving value for its clients. This means not only offering hardware at a good price point, but also offering value-added services that exceeds customers’ expectations”

Van der Walt suggests the pandemic has led to an increased demand for certain technologies and skills. For example, he points to audio visual installations as being projects that are complex and need specialised skills and knowledge to integrate the various components to enable students to connect more easily with their teachers. Essentially, a good implementation of this nature removes the barriers of physical locality and is able to bring all the benefits of the physical into a virtual environment.

“Technology has been critical in bringing the university or school to the student in a virtual manner. Another way BlueTek has assisted here is with the procurement, configuration and delivery of laptops to the students of several universities, despite the constraints of stock availability and lockdown regulations. We nonetheless ensured these students received their devices on time and configured to enable immediate access to learning. Our dedicated call centre assists with proactive and remote support as well as warranty repairs and extends our services throughout the country.”

“Our R&D department has also done a lot of work to assist customers with the development of new and customised solutions to meet the demands of the ‘new normal’. This has included security tracking solutions for devices, building integrated web solutions, offering customised cloud hosting and developing unique hardware and software solutions to help bridge certain gaps. Ultimately, it is all about customising solutions to meet the requirements of individual customers,” he says.

Van der Walt explains that BlueTek has been an HP partner for a number of years and notes the organisation has always been one of BlueTek’s strategic partners. They are, he adds, always approachable, prepared to consider the customer’s requirements and willing to negotiate pricing. “They have played an important role in making our work easier and our business more successful.

“Looking ahead, BlueTek remains optimistic about the future – the education arena has evolved significantly in the past couple of years, and the needs and demands of schools, colleges and universities are now very diverse. We are excited about working with these entities in order to offer them new products and solutions to help them to capably handle these changing demands,” he concludes.

Share