IT field service workers are feeling good about their futures, with significantly more of them confident that an improving economy is going to boost their job prospects. The "Confidence Index" put together by service provider OnForce reached 46 points in its most recent surve, a 9-point gain over the year-ago period and its highest level in 15 months.The company's Future Index, which takes the pulse of IT workers on where they expect the economy to be six months from now, posted an even greater year-on-year gain: 13 points to an index of 65. Over the past five quarters, the percentage of tech field workers with a negative outlook has dramatically ebbed, both sequentially and year-over year. OnForce surveyed 533 IT field service workers ranging from point-of-sale technicians for retailers to folks who configure network routers. Their companies included one-person up to business with 100 employees. Typically, business tends to be slower between summer and fall, which can affect the technicians' confidence level, notes Bill Lucchini, OnForce's chief operating officer. However, he says, business usually picks up in the months before holiday season as retailers focus on getting their POS systems working.