The latest unemployment figures from the state offered a bit of encouraging news with most counties showing some hiring.

So who's doing the hiring? Here's a quick look:

HCL Technologies announced this morning that it would hire 100 people in Cary to handle work relating to a contract it signed with Merck. HCL provides IT services as well as other engineering and business services. Find out more about the company
here.

In Durham, AW North Carolina plans to hire 360 people over the next two years. The company makes transmissions for Toyotas. Keep track of jobs here.

Kinston cabinet maker is planning a $3.75 million expansion that will lead to 334 new jobs over the next three years.

MasterBrand Cabinets, which already employs 200 at a plant in Kinston, will receive a $5.3 million incentive package from local and state agencies.

The company, a subsidiary of Fortune Brands, is based in Jasper, Ind. It makes cabinets for kitchens and bathrooms for new homes and remodeling.