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Career expert Rachel Wells highlights five free certification programs. These programs can boost job prospects and make resumes more appealing in 2025. The job market has become super competitive in 2025. Workers need every advantage they can get to stand out from other candidates. Many people think they need expensive training or college degrees to improve their resumes, but that's not true anymore. Rachel Wells from Forbes says smart job seekers are taking free online courses. They build valuable skills and earn certificates that impress employers. She says the best part is that these programs cost nothing but can add thousands of dollars in value to your career potential. The most valuable free certifications come from major tech companies and respected platforms. Google offers career certificates in high-demand areas like IT support, data analytics, and digital marketing that take just 3-6 months to complete. LinkedIn Learning provides over 460 hours of free certification cours...

New research shows that spending just five minutes each day on mindfulness can make your mind stronger and help you do better at work. Companies around the world are now telling their workers to try mindfulness apps for just five minutes daily. Studies show that as little as five minutes of mindfulness meditation a day may help reduce work-related stress, even when done through self-guided smartphone apps. Workers who tried this simple practice felt less stressed and more focused during their workday. The best part about this news is how easy it is to start. You don't need special training or expensive classes. Just five minutes is all you need. Scientists tested this idea with real workers. A study showed that four short 5-minute mindfulness practices worked as well as four 20-minute ones. Both helped reduce depression, anxiety, and stress . This means busy people can get the same benefits without taking lots of time from their day. Companies that tried mindfulness programs saw am...

The “no tax on tips” rule helps workers who earn tips. They can deduct up to $25K from their income. However, experts worry about possible unintended effects. I want to break this down simply but with my human-take: From 2025 to 2028, a new law lets some service workers deduct up to $25,000 in tips from their federal taxable income. This change aims to increase their take-home pay. But as with many slick tax moves, the devil’s in the details—and who truly benefits is still unclear. The Details: Tipped workers, such as servers, bartenders, delivery drivers, and beauty service workers, can deduct up to $25,000 in tips from their federal taxable income. The deduction reduces for those with higher incomes. It usually starts phasing out at $150,000 for individuals and $300,000 for joint filers. Only about 2.6% of tax filers get significant relief, saving an average of $1,370. “The elephant in the room … so many tips go unreported to begin with,” says a tax professional. This matters becaus...

Children’s programming resumes is back! Join us for a dinosaur-themed homeschool class and a fun story time. Also, library staff invite families to enjoy engaging and educational events. Children’s programming at the Syracuse Public Library returns the week of August 11. This was announced by the library’s children’s department after a short summer break. Children’s librarian Emilia Layne showcases a mix of paleontology and the alphabet. This blend offers fun and education for families. The Details: Story time and homeschool class begin on Wednesday, August 13, at 10:30 a.m. We’ll explore the alphabet and read new books. Homeschoolers will explore paleontology and dinosaurs. On Friday, August 15 , the Pokemon Club launches at 4 p.m., offering kids a chance to play the card game and socialize. Field day is on Saturday, August 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will be at the new lot: 705 N. Dolan Drive. Enjoy yard games and swag prizes, thanks to the WNBA All-Star Host Committee. Library ho...

Charles Schwab’s 2025 Modern Wealth Survey reveals that the wealth threshold is now $2.3 million. Experts believe this change shows economic stress and evolving goals. Intro:  Charles Schwab's 2025 Modern Wealth Survey finds that Americans view wealth as $2.3 million. Rob Williams, a Schwab spokesperson, says, “Wealth still feels out of reach, even as comfort levels rise.” This shows a blend of hope and economic worry. The Details: Key Figures: Americans now believe the wealth threshold is $2.3 million , down from $2.5 million in 2024. To feel financially comfortable? That number has climbed to $839,000 , up from $778,000 last year. Reasons cited include inflation (73%), a weaker economy (62%), higher taxes (48%), and rising interest rates (43%). “Wealth remains aspirational, even as comfort levels rise.” Many Americans still see wealth as a goal, but they adjust what “comfortable” means. A lower wealth threshold may show cautious expectations due to economic challenges. The ri...

Many good-paying jobs in engineering and architecture don't need a college degree anymore. Workers can earn between $45,000 and $80,000 per year with just training or certificates. These jobs are growing because companies need skilled workers fast. Average Salary recently showed that tech jobs in engineering and architecture pay well for those without four-year degrees. The report shows aerospace technicians can make almost $80,000 per year. Other jobs, like drafting technicians and engineering assistants, also pay well. This news matters because college costs keep going up. Many people want good careers without student loans. The key numbers tell an interesting story about these career paths. Drafters earned a median annual wage of $65,380 in May 2024, according to government data. Architectural drafters can make around $70,400 per year, while drafting technicians average $68,404 annually. The highest-paying roles are aerospace technicians, who earn nearly $80,000 per year. These ...

The AI Billionaire Boom is driving tech fortunes sky-high. New and existing tycoons are amassing wealth like never before. Experts say this is the biggest wealth sprint we’ve seen in decades. The AI billionaire boom is here. CNBC shows how artificial intelligence is boosting wealth among tech elites. CNBC wealth editor Robert Frank highlights the rapid growth of private AI firms and their huge valuations. In a year of soaring venture funding, AI creation drove stock prices up. Nvidia alone hit a $4 trillion market cap due to strong AI demand. The Week The Washington Post CNBC The Details: Investors flocked to private AI companies. Almost 500 are now worth over $1 billion. This surge created many new billionaires. Nvidia is the first company to hit a $4 trillion valuation. Its dominance in AI chips is changing how wealth is created. Big Tech companies are driving growth. AI investments are expected to surpass $350 billion by 2025. This could add about 0.7% to U.S. GDP. “AI is creating...

Wrexham bin workers will strike for 13 days due to forced pay cuts from overtime. Union leaders say the council's actions are “disgraceful.” Parceling out the news into your requested format (though without explicit section headings): Wrexham’s street and refuse workers, who are part of Unite, will strike for 13 days. The strike will happen from 23 August to 14 November. They are protesting a new overtime scheme that cuts their take-home pay. Sharon Graham, Unite's chief officer, says, “No employee should accept forced changes to their job routines or lose their hard-earned pay.” She calls the council’s method “shameful.”” About 100 workers supported the action, with 71% voting in favor. Unite says this strike is due to changes made without discussion. Now, staff must work Saturdays and lose half a day's pay under the new rules. Alwyn Jones, the interim chief executive of Wrexham Council, says staff input played a role in the 2024/25 budget talks. He adds that the changes a...

  Brian Hoyer gets a Hall of Fame nod, returning the Super Bowl champ home. Saint Ignatius honors their star in the 2025 Athletic Hall of Fame class. Saint Ignatius High School will honor Brian Hoyer ’04, a Super Bowl champion, in its 2025 Athletic Hall of Fame. This tribute celebrates the Wildcat’s NFL-veteran alumnus and hometown hero. The Details: Brian Hoyer '04 is one of five athletes in the 2025 induction class. The others are Mark McKane ’89, Brett Sterba ’96, Dominic Ozanne ’03, and Jerome Robinson ’10. Candidates can be inducted 15 years after graduation. This recognizes outstanding achievements like team captaincy, MVP, and all-district or All-Ohio honors. "The Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes athletes who do well in sports and make the school proud,” said the selection committee. This induction honors Hoyer’s NFL journey, marked by his Super Bowl LIII win, and his high school legacy. Hoyer has a program-record 18 career home runs in baseball. He also shows great l...

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick says AI will make video game jobs better and pay more money. Take-Two Interactive reported strong earnings while its CEO shared big news about AI and jobs. Strauss Zelnick told reporters that workers who learn AI will get paid more, not lose their jobs. This is different from what many people think about AI taking jobs away. The company makes popular games like Grand Theft Auto. Zelnick thinks AI is a tool that helps people work better, not something that replaces them. His main point is simple: learn AI, earn more money. Take-Two has grown to be worth over $180 billion as a company. They cut some costs but still believe in hiring people. Zelnick says AI will create new types of jobs that pay better than old ones. Many game companies have been firing workers this year. Over 1,900 people lost jobs at other big game companies in early 2024. But Zelnick thinks this is wrong thinking. He believes AI makes workers more valuable, not less valuable. Most game de...

  Today's degree-value is being questioned. Experts say a college diploma alone rarely guarantees success. Skills and strategy are more important. College enrollment once promised opportunity and upward mobility. Educational economist Anthony Carnevale warns that the value of a degree is changing. It may not be a sure path to prosperity anymore as the job market evolves. The Details Job postings needing a bachelor’s degree have decreased. This shows a lower demand for diplomas. Unemployment for recent college grads is about 6%. This is better than the national average. However, underemployment is still high. Credential inflation means that more jobs require degrees now. This happens even when the skills needed for the job haven't changed much. “A college diploma no longer guarantees economic mobility,” Carnevale explains. This shift is important. Success now depends on practical skills, adaptability, and readiness for the real world. It's a big change from just relying o...

Uber's push to become a "super app" comes with big paychecks for tech workers, with staff engineers earning up to $259,000 in base salary alone. The ride-hailing giant filed to hire nearly 500 workers through visa programs this year. That's up from 350 last year, showing the company wants more tech talent. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said, "We're slowly moving towards a super app of sorts," as the company looks beyond just rides and food delivery. New salary data from government filings show exactly what Uber pays its corporate tech workers. The numbers come from visa applications that companies must file with the US Department of Labor. But these are just base salaries. Most tech workers also get stock options and bonuses on top of their regular pay. So the real money could be much higher. Software developers can earn base salaries as high as $266,400, based on federal data. This makes them some of the highest-paid workers at the company. Staff Software Engi...

AI-JobShift is changing how recent grads find jobs. Automated systems and AI tools are now key to the process. A fast-growing trend shows that AI-JobShift is reducing traditional entry-level jobs. This makes it harder for college grads to get hired. Experts say this change is altering what industries expect. Recent data reveals that big tech has cut entry-level hires by over 50% since 2022. This shift is crucial for grasping how AI is changing the job market. Overall unemployment for 2025 grads is about 5.8%. This is much higher than the general rate. “Employers are replacing routine tasks with AI, shrinking roles meant for newcomers.” The AI-JobShift means companies want more from entry-level applicants. They often require AI fluency, prior experience, and advanced skills. These skills usually come from certification or hands-on training.  For the job-hungry class of 2025, this isn’t just a trend—it’s a new playing field. The Details: Entry-level hiring in tech dropped by over 5...

A business expert warns that internal team silos are a major hidden threat to company growth. This is true even though teams are working harder than ever. Companies everywhere face a puzzling problem. Their teams work very hard every day. Marketing pushes to get leads. Sales tries to close deals. Customer service helps clients. But the company still doesn't grow much. A new report from business growth experts shows why this happens. The problem isn't lazy workers or bad products. The real issue is that teams work alone instead of together. This creates huge costs that most bosses never see. The Details: The hidden costs of team silos are shocking. Companies waste money on tools that do the same job. Teams blame each other when things go wrong. Workers get frustrated and want to quit. But the biggest cost is lost customers. When teams don't talk to each other, customers get confused. They have to repeat their story to different people. They get mixed messages. Many customers...