Austin tech firms eye next generation

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Austin is adding hundreds of new jobs every month. But it's not good news for everybody.

City leaders are worried about a growing disparity in the Austin area as it pertains to job growth. Several local high tech firms are working to spread opportunity to the next generation.

Volunteers are going into local schools to work with students to help them understand the potential rewards of careers in math and science.

National Instruments is one of several local high tech firms sending volunteers into local classrooms to get kids excited about science.

"There are a number of success stories at schools Aikins High School and Manor UTech," said Ray Algren with National Instruments. "They all have great stories of students who literally their lives have been changed through the stem programs and the robotics program that we've helped sponsor and supplied mentors in the community."

In many local schools robotics classes can expose students to engineering and math in an applied way.

"When I showed my students two years ago -- the robot we would eventually create -- they didn't think they'd be able to do it, but after a few weeks and a few months, they were beginning to teach me how the robot worked," said Eric Shaffer who is a robotics mentor.

The payoff? Exciting the homegrown engineers of the future.