The new hiring represents a 36 percent increase over the original projection of 2,200 additional salaried jobs announced in January. With only a 2.7 percent attrition rate, the majority of these jobs are new.

　　Of the 3,000 new hires, 80 percent will be technical professionals to meet demand for new skills; 85 to 90 percent will be in Michigan, with the remaining positions at Ford locations throughout the United States. Ford is halfway to its goal of hiring the 3,000 salaried employees this year.

　　Felicia Fields, Ford group vice president for human resources, says the company is still looking for people who are "interested in working for a diverse global leader in a huge growth mode" to fill the more than 1,500 positions that remain.

　　According to the Ford, this salaried hiring initiative is the largest since 2000, and is necessary for the company to meet surging demand for its products and continue its aggressive global growth. Ford's U.S. market share is up almost a full percentage point from last year, fueled by share gains on the east and west coasts and surging demand for Ford Escape and Ford F-150.

　　Ford hired 1,850 salaried workers in the United States last year.