POSTED: Monday, September 19, 2011 --- 5:30 p.m.

Tonight one Janesville Hospital is in a meeting looking to get approval to move forward with an expansion and another is already hiring for hundreds of new positions.

It's positive job news for an area that needs it.

The unemployment numbers in Rock County are higher than the state average and have been for a while but the evidence would tell you the healthcare field is booming.

Mercy Health System VP Rich Gruber says, "Our goal is to serve our patients with all our heart and all our mind."

Mercy Health System is looking to get approval from a Janesville planning commission to move forward with a 24,000 square foot clinical facility. It is step one in what will eventually be a larger 25-acre complex.

It's the kind of investment that gets noticed in a county hovering around 9.5-percent unemployment.

Gruber says, "It really shows the confidence the healthcare community has in the viability and thriving nature of what this region is going to be today and into the future."

Mercy is not the only one investing.

For St. Mary's Hospital the future is right now. A facility years in the making is just about done and they're hiring for hundreds of positions.

St. Mary's has received 6,000 applications from more than 2,600 people, looking to fill 350 new jobs.

Eric Thornton is the HR Director. He says, "Most of the employees we're hiring, almost everyone is coming from the Janesville and greater Janesville community."

And St. Mary's is still taking applications. In fact, they haven't received any applications for some of the open positions.

All of the investment is being noticed. Rock County is working to keep a solid bond rating and one recognized positive is all the investment from the healthcare field.

New jobs are being created directly and a surrounding community will benefit from the 2 new facilities.

Gruber says, "Those induced jobs in many instances are as important or more important than the new jobs created."

We also have more good news for those looking for a job. The Rock County Job Center in Janesville will be hosting a job fair Wednesday from 9 to 3.