Highlands College

Following a competitive tendering process, we were selected to provide an intelligent locker solution for Highlands College which would address the evolving device storage and access needs of its students.

Successful implementation of the lockers has yielded significant benefits, with the system’s features
allowing Highlands College to seamlessly foster a more flexible learning environment. With ongoing
improvements and future collaboration, Highlands College are poised to further enhance
campus efficiency with additional upgrades planned for the next phase of the college’s digital strategy.

Challenges:

Highlands College, a further and higher education college in Jersey, faced several challenges that prompted them to seek a locker system.

With the surge in remote learning and the temporary loaning of devices to students, there was a need for a reliable storage and charging solution for laptops which would also provide clear insights into device usage. Additionally, the college aimed to provide students with easy access to devices and support flexible learning.

Solution:

Highlands College discovered intelligent lockers while researching asset management system providers on the internet. Engaging in a competitive tendering process, the college evaluated various companies and we were selected due to a combination of competitive pricing, comprehensive services, and the ability to meet the specific requirements of the college. Subsequent Teams meetings allowed the college to observe the functionality of the units and solidify their decision.

The college opted for an Intelligent Lockers ECO System, comprising 90 compartments across three different locations within three buildings. The system was equipped with an access card reader, in-compartment charging capabilities, with LDAPS installed retrospectively. The purpose of the system was to securely store and charge laptops for short-term loaning to students.

During the initial implementation, Highlands College experienced a few minor issues, including syncing with the active directory and generating certain reports. However, intelligent lockers promptly addressed these concerns by establishing a strong working relationship and conducting several engineer visits for on-site support to ensure the system’s smooth operation.

Results:

While Highlands College made a significant investment in laptops, the true value of the intelligent lockers lay in the flexibility and improved digital strategy for students and staff.

Terry Walters, Head of IT states: “Intelligent lockers has helped revolutionise our mobile services across campus. I am pleased to witness the incredible flexibility these systems offer to both our students and technicians. Enabling students to break free from the constraints of desktop PCs has unlocked a world of collaboration and enhanced learning experiences here at Highlands.”

Technical staff have gained better oversight of device allocation and usage, facilitating more effective management of resources. The reporting function allows the college to monitor device usage duration and take corrective actions if devices are held for excessive periods. In addition, students are benefitting from enhanced accessibility, enabling them to easily swap devices after each lesson and engage in collaborative group work.

Highlands College have expressed additional requirements for the next phase with planning underway for intelligent lockers to fulfil the college’s aims of further streamlining admin tasks and gaining greater analytical sights through the systems’ comprehensive reporting structure.