On Friday, we talked about some good news: the fact that manufacturing’s numbers are strong, and that things are looking very good headed into 2014 and beyond. That bodes well for manufacturing companies, but it also bodes well for people looking for a career.

And as it turns out, that growth seems to be carrying over into manufacturing jobs already.

When we talked about Nebraska’s good, better-paying jobs back in July, we hinted at the fact that manufacturing plays a very big part in Nebraska’s economy. That’s only continuing going into next year, again signaling very good things moving forward.

As KNOP-TV out of North Platte, NE , jobs are plentiful here in Nebraska. Last month in Nebraska, unemployment was 3.7%, much less than the national average of above 7%–and much better than dozens of other states across the country.

Unsurprisingly, two popular industries here in the state–farming and manufacturing–play a critical part in the low unemployment rate, making “for golden opportunities for in- staters to move within the state and [attracting] out- of- staters to the Husker State.” Manufacturing supplies a lot of jobs here in Nebraska, helping keep unemployment low and helping keep a positive outlook for the state moving forward.

As the growth projected in manufacturing through 2014 continues, we expect that manufacturing in Nebraska will only be a source of more jobs, making the future good for anyone interested in a career in manufacturing or in the skilled trades. And looking forward, some of the people best positioned for a career in manufacturing are the young people who have the opportunity to learn new skills now and enter the workforce in a few years.

If you’re thinking about a career in manufacturing but have some doubts about the future of the industry, reports like these ought to be a sign that now is a great time to get involved. There’s no reason to believe that manufacturing won’t continue to be an economic stronghold in the state (and even in the country), so really, the time is now!

We may not be able to predict the future, but we can certainly look at data and make educated guesses about what’s going to happen. And doing that, things look very, very good for the future of manufacturing here in our great state.

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