Engineers, nurses, and skilled/manual trades are the nation's 3 most challenging positions to fill in 2009, according to a survey by Manpower, Inc.

Employers reported the following 10 jobs as the most difficult to fill in 2009. The numbers in parentheses indicate where the jobs appeared on the list in the company's 2008 survey.

1. Engineers (1)
2. Nurses
3. Skilled/Manual Trades (3)
4. Teachers
5. Sales Representatives (5)
6. Technicians (4)
7. Drivers
8. IT Staff (9)
9. Laborers (8)
10. Machinist/Machine Operators (2)

Each of the 10 job categories on the 2009 list has appeared on the list in the past.  Technicians, machinist/machine operators, and sales representatives have been present all four years. Engineers, drivers, and laborers have appeared three out of four years; and nurses, teachers, skilled/manual trades, and IT staff have been present in two of the four years Manpower has performed the survey.

"While talk has slowed in the U.S. about the pending talent shortage, it is becoming more clear that there is a talent disconnect," said Melanie Holmes, vice president, world of work solutions for Manpower North America. "Our workforce needs to be more open to retraining and upskilling for jobs that are in demand.  And, our government, business leaders and educational facilities need to take action together to ensure students are being enticed to enter these fields."

The U.S. findings are part of a Manpower global study that surveyed more than 39,000 employers across 33 countries and territories in January 2009. Positions in the skilled trades, sales, technical work, and engineering remain the most difficult for employers to fill globally. Manpower surveyed more than 2,000 U.S. employers in the fourth annual survey to determine which positions employers are having difficulty filling this year.