The June survey of business leaders in Iowa and eight other Midwestern states signals positive growth for the region over the next three-to-six months. Ernie Goss, an economist at Creighton University, says overall, hiring for the region’s manufacturing sector for June was up significantly.

Figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show Iowa workers have experienced a solid 3.6 percent increase in hourly wages over the past 12 months, above the national gain of 3.1 percent over the same period of time.