Despite stagnant unemployment numbers, it appears as if North Dakota is on its way to a healthy economic recovery, thanks to the state's booming oil production industry.
New technology has helped North Dakota tap into its rich shale formations, with companies scrambling to find qualified workers in the western part of the state.
Lynn Helms, director of the North Dakota Department of Natural Resources, told Fox News that the state's population has hit an all time high as more skilled trade workers and those looking for business opportunities head into the area hoping to land a high paying job.
"We're very confident that we've got a twenty year oil boom ahead of us," Helms told the news agency. "And that's driving tens of thousands of jobs. I think right now we're estimating 35,000 jobs in direct employment. And there's about another 18,000 jobs that are looking for somebody to fill."
There are currently 200 rigs in the state producing approximately 300,000 of oil a day.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, earnings for occupations within the mining industry are higher than the average for all other industries and are better for workers who have had postsecondary training.
