(Radio Iowa) — The Technology Association of Iowa is setting up a statewide database to connect students, parents and teachers to the many computer-related programs and events around the state. The idea is to build a community of tech-savvy young people who can learn from each other. T-A-I president Brian Waller offers a few examples of what can be found on the site known as Techstream.

“In Waterloo, there’s a Girl Scout program up there doing cyber security specifically,” Waller says. “If you go to Cedar Rapids, kids on Wednesday nights can do computer coding called Computer Dojo.” Waller says the database may also encourage more young people to enter the information technology field to help fill a labor shortage. Waller says he wants Iowa students to be creators of technology, not just consumers of it.

“We’re hoping that this fabric of lots of different outposts of computer science and technology activities and programming, that they’re going to build a community and learn from each other, and really the end goal we would love to see is computer science in the core curriculum for the state of Iowa,” he says. Waller says connecting students to technology classes, workshops and events may encourage more young people to enter the I-T field.

techstreamiowa.org.