Green Bay, Wis. (WFRV) - A surge in manufacturing jobs as landed Green Bay a spot on the "Best Performing Cities" list.

That's according to Milken Institute, which judges a city's performance based on job growth, wage averages, and advances in technology.

In 2011, Green Bay was ranked 157, but jumped to 97 last year.

According to the lisitng, Green Bay jumped to the top 100 because manufacturing has largely expanded over the last year.

"For individuals who don't want to work behind a desk and want a fast paced environment, I think they see that and really find that in manufacturing," said Dean Stewart, Dean of Corporate Training and Economic Development at Northeast Wisconsin Technical Institute.

Stewart says another reason why so many people are choosing to go into manufacturing is because there are a lot of successful companies in that area in Green Bay and in Fox Valley.

As manufacturing companies continue to expand, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College is seeing a surge in applicants. 

A few years ago, the Corporate Training division had only 30 graduates a year, now they have well over a hundred and 96% of graduates find jobs in Wisconsin.

NWTC student, David Paider says he went back to school because he was laid off. 

Going back to school would not only help refine his skills as an electrician, but he says it would make him more marketable when we graduates.

Manufacturing workers can make anywhere between $18-$37 an hour. 

The reason, Stewart says is because, "There's still a gap between the available pool of people and what is needed out of them in the market place so the wages creep up because there's a competition to get people to come to your business."