manufacturing jobs

U.S. factory output increased in April, helped by a gain in auto production. Busier factories have driven stronger hiring this year and helped the economy grow. The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that factory production rose 0.6% in April, erasing a 0.5% decline in March.

The U.S. manufacturing sector is a sight for sore eyes: After more than a year of expansion, it's still growing, as American factories continue to churn out the equipment, machines and products that emerging-market nations need to develop their infrastructures.

In another sign the auto industry is on a comeback, Ford Motor (F) reportedly will announce plans Monday to add 7,000 jobs to its U.S. workforce during the next two years in a variety of positions. The plan includes the addition of 4,000 blue-collar jobs and 750 salaried positions this year, plus...

Ford plans to invest $600 million in a Kentucky plant to build the next-generation Escape SUV, creating an 1,800 additional jobs, the automaker said Thursday. The new jobs will be added incrementally after the Louisville Assembly plant is rehabbed and reopened late next year.

Manufacturing activity in the mid-Atlantic region unexpectedly surged in November. The Philly Fed's Business Outlook Survey index jumped to 22.5 in November from 1 in October, its highest reading since December 2009.

Manufacturing activity in the mid-Atlantic region showed modest improvement in October, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, which saw its Business Outlook Survey rise to 1.0. However, despite that return to positive territory overall, key index components continued to reveal economic softness.

Building a new chipmaking plant and upgrading four others will result in thousands of construction and high-tech jobs, the world's leading supplier of microprocessors said today. It's a strong statement from a company that has been critical of Washington's business policies.

Mike Rowe's TV show Dirty Jobs puts him hip-deep into the roughest, toughest and filthiest jobs in America. But for the past two years, he's had a second occupation -- running MikeRoweWorks, a website and foundation that advocates for old-fashioned, honest blue-collar work.

The 1% increase eases worries that activity in the sector that's so far led the recovery is slowing. The July increase was led by strong performances in the manufacturing and mining segments, while utility output cooled off.

Obama visits Detroit today to bolster his claims that the $86 billion spent to rescue GM and Chrysler from oblivion was well worth the jobs it has put people into, and the million or more the government says it has saved.