Murray Bridge High School gets first look at SA-made Chromebook laptops
International mega-corporation Google has chosen Allied, an Adelaide manufacturer, to build its laptops – and local year 7 students have become the first to test them out.
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A South Australian company has won a contract to build laptop computers for Google – and these Murray Bridge High School students have become the first to use them.
In a coup for the school, it is one of just two in SA to get a sneak peak at the new Allied Chromebook computers.
In time, the company hopes to produce more than 100,000 of them per year in Adelaide, creating up to 500 jobs.
In the meantime, the year 7s at MBHS have been testing them out.
So what do the students think?
“They’re good,” Hendrix Sharrad said.
“They have a different design, which is cool.”
Deputy principal Paula Hahesy said Murray Bridge High was committed to ensuring that every student had equal access to technology.
“We want to make sure that every child has a device and every child can engage in learning,” she said.
“It’s something we’re really proud of.”
“We’re really impressed by the way all the kids respect and care for their devices (too).”
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Being the only Google for Education reference school in South Australia had put MBHS in the box seat to earn the Allied Chromebook trial, Ms Hahesy said, but it had still been a privilege to be picked.
“Being able to support Allied and keep the money in South Australia is a big win,” she said.
School IT manager Matt Long said the Allied laptops were at least as good as those produced by much bigger global companies.
Google deal is a ‘game-changer’
The deal between Google and Allied, the first accredited Chromebook manufacturer in Australia or New Zealand, was announced on January 18.
Premier Peter Malinauskas described it as a vote of confidence in South Australian manufacturing.
“We are pleased to be supporting a local South Australian company, and look forward to determining next steps upon successful completion of the trial,” he said.
“It’s an exciting prospect to think there is potential for devices manufactured here in this state to become a viable option for our South Australian schools and indeed for schools across the country.”
If the trial at Murray Bridge High School proves successful, the state Department for Education would have the option of ordering all its future Chromebooks from the Adelaide company.
Other states’ school systems could even do the same.
Allied CEO Aron Saether-Jackson was optimistic.
“A lot of people think there isn’t much of an opportunity for high-tech computer manufacturing in Australia, but partnerships like this prove the doubters wrong,” he said.
“It’s a win for students, it’s a win for the local industry and it’s a win for South Australia.”
