The latest job figures out of Illinois show that more workers with experience in the skilled trades are starting to find work following several years of job losses.
Manufacturers' News reports that employment at Illinois factories rose a half a percentage point over the past 12 months, gaining 3,496 jobs, for the first time in over 10 years.
"We're finally starting to see positive numbers for Illinois," state Tom Dubin, president of the Illinois-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. "Despite a high corporate tax rate, Illinois still boasts an educated workforce, easy access to capital, and a central location within the Midwest to do business. It's unlikely that manufacturing employment will ever return to the levels of ten years ago, but it's nice to see the uptick."
The report credits increased hiring at Chrysler, Boeing, Caterpillar, Excel Foundry, Magnum Steel Works and Continental Tire with the uptick in hiring over the past year.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities for machinery manufacturing are expected to be best for those with advanced training in the skilled trades beyond high school.
