General Motors and Chrysler are recruiting 1,000 new staff members each which marks a turnaround in the fortunes of the companies which were saved from collapse by government bailouts last year.

GM has started to hire engineers and researchers to work on a new generation of electric vehicles.

Chrysler said extra engineering jobs were needed to help cope with growth and expansion of its small and mid-size vehicle line-up which will be driven by it’s co-op with Fiat.