Below

Topic

Mandatory education beyond high school

Research Question

Should high school graduates now be required to attend at least 2 years of college or trade school?

Evidence and Reasoning

State the reasons for your claim:  Given the length of this paper, 3 reasons should be sufficient. If, however, you have 4 reasons that are strong, you may use 4 reasons.​

Reason #1: One reason high school graduates entering the workforce need education beyond high school is that companies need more skilled workers to meet the growing challenges of technological and scientific advances. (This also becomes the topic sentence)

Evidence: (this should come from the research)

· Currently, tech companies have to recruit skilled employees from other countries to meet their employment needs (Smith, 2019).

· Need for employees with specialized skills in tech and science continues to grow (Taylor, 2018)

· Need for employees with critical thinking and problem solving skills (Vandal, 2020).

Reason #2: A second reason high school graduates should be required to obtain an advanced degree or skilled training beyond high school is the potential to earn higher salaries.

Evidence: (this should come from the research or anecdotal sources)

· Provide statistics and studies conducted in recent years (Wise, 2018)

· Examples from surveys (Bureau of labor Statistics, 2020)

· Anecdotal evidence (Vandal, 2020)

Reason #3: A final reason advanced learning should be required for high school graduates is that it often leads to an improved quality of life.

Evidence:

· Provide statistics, surveys (Wise, 2020 year)

· Greater job satisfaction (Wise, 2020)

· More opportunities for professional growth (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020)

· More opportunities for personal growth (Vandal, 2020)

Reason #4 (optional): Follow examples above.

Opposing View : Explain objections to your point of view. (Remember, there is always more than one side in an argument!)

Reason for the opposing view: One common objection to making advanced education and training mandatory for all high school graduates is the cost for additional education beyond high school. The question most often asked is, “Who will pay for it”?

Evidence and Source: Examples of the cost of tuition for 2-year degree and/or training programs.

Rebuttal: The cost to higher education will pay for itself in a more skilled workforce, increased productivity, less reliance on highly skilled immigrants, and higher paying jobs for American citizens. (Use evidence/ examples to support).

Conclusion: Restate the thesis, tie all claims together, and end with powerful persuasive statement.

If one looks at the long-term benefits for individuals who acquire advanced degrees or skill training, it is obvious that a high school diploma is no longer enough to guarantee a well-trained workforce. Today’s high school graduates most often qualify only for minimum wage work with limited potential for advancement, professional or personal growth, or financial stability. The only way to ensure that we have a qualified workforce with the potential for professional and personal growth is to mandate that students obtain a minimum of two years advanced education beyond high school.