Civil Municipal - April 2024

Department of Employment Security (IDES) shows the area added more than 2,400 manufacturing jobs since January 2022, and 2,900 jobs overall. “One surprising trend we uncovered in this study is the significant increase in manufacturing employment in smaller metropolitan areas like Bloomington, Illinois, and El Centro, California, which outpaced larger,more established hubs,” said Anirudh Reddy, business head, Zetwerk-North America. “This suggests that smaller cities are becoming unexpected growth hotspots in the manufacturing sector, challenging traditional notions of where manufacturing activity thrives. Reddy attributed this trend to several different factors, most promising economic diversification. “In regions like Nevada and Las Vegas, where manufacturing employment has seen substantial growth, there may be efforts to diversify the economy beyond tourism and entertainment,” he said. “Manufacturing offers opportunities for job creation and economic stability, prompting policymakers and businesses to invest in this sector to create a more balanced economy.” 16 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 5, ISSUE 04