Have things improved economically?

[fujiyama]

I was living in Portland a couple years ago, working at a major manufacturer on a project basis. The timing was bad though(end of '08) and the projects ended and I had no work. I ended up coming back to the mid west, just to crash with my folks for a couple months before finding other work.

I recently got a contract offer with the same company in Portland for a year +. Basically it's indefinite, and I know several people that have been contract employees there for years. It's a decent offer, money wise and career wise.

I've heard things are going a lot better at the company now as well, but I don't want to move back again if things go sour. How are things in the region? Is Seattle in better shape now too? I'm an electrical engineer, so I figure there's work out there, but if I move this time to Portland, I want to be able to plant myself at least somewhere in the region (meaning somewhere in either Oregon or Washington).