Pittsburgh's efforts to attract more young high technology professionals are well known and documented.

	Jeannette Blosel/Post-Gazette
	Mark Rauterkus and Diane Durand at Alphachimp Studios in Oakland.

But some local high tech enthusiasts believe that if the region really wants to build its reservoir of high tech talent, the best place to start is with children who already live here.

That's the thinking of stay-at-home father and community volunteer Mark Rauterkus and his ongoing Youth Tech Summit Idea Session, which had its second brainstorming session yesterday at Oakland's Alphachimp Studios, which provides meeting space for groups.

His plan calls for bringing together city officials, local businesses, school officials and parents to help develop programs and projects that will get young people more interested in technology, more proficient in using it and perhaps go on to pursue careers in the field. If successful, these young people could remain here and pursue their careers in their home town.

"We spend an awful lot of money through recruiting firms to bring people here, and we have things like the Digital Greenhouse, too. I just thought, we try so hard to recruit high technology people to come here and settle down, why not just grow our own instead and they'll already be right here," Rauterkus said. "The problem has been that there aren't any low rungs on the ladder for people to make an investment in the community and get involved to make all that happen."

Yesterday's participants wrote their views on a bulletin board about Pittsburgh's current high-tech environment and challenges, the elements that are needed to involve children and youth in high-tech pursuits, and organizations and individuals that could help carry their project out. Additional meetings are planned to generate ideas, develop strategies and implement the plan.