U.S. staffing companies employed an average of 3.26 million temporary and contract workers per week in the third quarter of 2014, up 6.1% from the same period in 2013, according to data released today by the American Staffing Association.

“Staffing industry employment has returned to prerecession levels as businesses continue to increase the size of their flexible and permanent workforces in response to sustained increases in demand for their products and services,” says Richard Wahlquist, ASA president and chief executive officer. “And, with 4.8 million job openings in the U.S., we see a lot of opportunity for job seekers with marketable skills.”