Job Hunting? Discover 3 Growing Industries in the South Bend, Indiana, Region
The area’s growing sectors make it a job hunter’s dream.
On the hunt for your perfect job? Consider your search complete because the South Bend, Indiana, region (in St. Joseph County) is crawling with career opportunities – and one, if not more, has your name on it.
In recent years, this Northern Indiana region’s companies, economic development groups and educational institutions have joined forces to strengthen and diversify the regional economy, which has benefited both established workers looking to level up in their careers as well as students and recent grads entering the workforce.
“We want to make sure there is a pipeline to jobs post-graduation but also opportunities for college students doing internships and high school students who are interested in starting apprenticeships,” says Alyson Herzig, director of economic development for the South Bend Regional Chamber.
Regardless of where you fall in your career – or your unique skills and interests – the region is sure to have a job that checks all the boxes on your list, especially since it’s home to a variety of strong industries. To better acquaint yourself with the region and the opportunities available, read on to learn about three industries that are experiencing growth in the South Bend region.
1. Health Care
As St. Joseph County’s biggest industry in terms of headcount, the health care and social assistance field employs 22,271 people. And in 2022, it generated a Gross Regional Product (GRP) of just over $1.9 billion.
“St. Joseph County is a regional powerhouse in delivering quality care across the spectrum,” Herzig says.
Providing the region with this care are several facilities, including Saint Joseph Health System, Mishawaka Medical Center, The South Bend Clinic, South Bend Medical Foundation and Beacon Health System.
Beacon Health continues to invest in the region. In fact, it recently opened the $15 million Surgery Center of Granger in collaboration with the Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center.
Plus, Memorial Hospital of South Bend, part of Beacon Health, broke ground on a 10-story, 300,000-square-foot patient tower in October 2022. When the approximately $236 million addition opens in 2026, it will offer a state-of-the-art facility for the hospital to treat patients as well as greater critical care services.
“Memorial Hospital is a Level II Trauma Center. That means they have a higher ability to handle more complex cases. It’s the only Level II trauma center in a 90-mile radius,” says Herzig, adding that it attracts many doctors, physical therapists and other medical professionals to the area.
One of Beacon Health’s most important investments is its Beacon Scholar Program. This partnership between the health care provider and Ivy Tech Community College creates a nontraditional path into the nursing field.
“Beacon will pay for their schooling, and then the employee will work for them during that time and stay on for a few years afterward,” Herzig says. “That is a very competitive program, and it’s a great pipeline to upskill.”
2. Education
It’s difficult to think of the South Bend region without conjuring images of the prominent Fighting Irish. However, the University of Notre Dame is far from the only institution in the region, and you don’t need to have a Ph.D. or be on the tenure track to find a great career in this field.
The area’s educational services industry employs nearly 17,800 workers and produces a GRP of $1.1 billion. Additionally, the county boasts impressive educational attainment levels for residents with associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees (32% of residents have a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to the U.S. Census Bureau).
St. Joseph County is home to six major postsecondary institutions helping to drive educational services above the national average, Herzig says. The region is most known for the University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s College, Indiana University South Bend, Holy Cross College, Bethel University and Ivy Tech Community College.
Herzig notes that the education industry is working diligently to be a part of and boost the local economy by creating special programs and building connections between business leaders and educators or alumni.
“The University of Notre Dame and Indiana University South Bend are both very engaged in ensuring that their students are connected with opportunities in the community,” she says. “But also, postgraduation, Notre Dame specifically has iNDustry Labs. That is a center of efficiencies for primarily manufacturers to automate and upskill.”
3. Manufacturing
From a financial standpoint, the manufacturing industry is the top economic producer in the greater South Bend area. In 2022, it generated nearly $2.2 billion GRP. Additionally, the industry employs nearly 14,000 workers in the county – less than other industries in the area, but above average for manufacturing jobs in the U.S., according to the South Bend Regional Chamber. And the outlook is very positive.
For starters, General Motors and Samsung SDI plan to build a $3.5 billion EV battery plant in St. Joseph County. The project will require roughly 2,000 construction workers, and when production begins in 2026, the facility will employ 1,700 workers for daily operations.
“This is the most significant single investment in the state and the largest ever in St. Joseph County,” Herzig says. “The economic impact of wages alone at full production is estimated to be almost $600 million annually. The project will be transformational and add to the region’s strong automotive presence.”
Another example of the area’s strong manufacturing base is AM General, a leading producer of military vehicles. The company recently won a $9.7 billion contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to manufacture an estimated 20,000 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) and 10,000 JLTV A2 trailers.
AM General will soon complete the $70 million factory expansion to its complex just outside of Mishawaka, adding 300 jobs. Additionally, the company will double the capacity of its warehouse. Here, the line starts to blur between manufacturing and another industry that Herzig predicts will become another top employer: logistics.
“I naturally think about logistics,” she says, noting that the area’s location and infrastructure make it optimal for road, rail and air transportation. “With that centralized location and manufacturing environment that we have, there is going to be a growth in the need for the supply chain and logistics industry.”
This article was sponsored by the South Bend Regional Chamber and Visit South Bend Mishawaka.