Manufacturing workers' confidence ratings rose 3.7 points in the fourth quarter of 2012 for a high since the first quarter of 2007, according to the Randstad Manufacturing Employee Confidence Index.
"Companies are starting to invest again and, in turn, job creation is following," says Phyllis Finley, executive vice president at Randstad US. "Some of the sectors that have been hiring heavily include automotive, supply chain and advanced manufacturing. Technical and skilled employees within the manufacturing sector are also in high demand."
The research also finds that 28 percent of respondents say the economy is improving, up six percentage points from the previous quarter, and only 33 percent of respondents say the economy is worsening, down four percentage points. Forty-eight percent of workers believe fewer jobs are open, down from 55 percent, while 22 percent of respondents say more jobs are available, up from 13 percent.
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While 45 percent of respondent say they are confident in finding employment contracted, a drop from 48 percent, 19 percent of respondents say they are not confident they could find jobs, down from 31 percent.
When it comes to the future, 59 percent say they are confident in what it holds, down five percentage points. In the next 12 months, 37 percent of respondents say they are likely to look for new employment, down two percentage points.
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