Hello - all feedback on this AWA essay welcome
[#permalink]
21 Jul 2019, 03:39
The following appeared as part of an editorial in a campus newspaper:
“With an increasing demand for highly skilled workers, this nation will soon face a serious labor shortage. New positions in technical and professional occupations are increasing rapidly, while at the same time the total labor force is growing slowly. Moreover, the government is proposing to cut funds for aid to education in the near future.”
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc.
Answer:
This argument about labour market dynamics is flawed. It is suggested that an apparent mismatch in labour supply and demand will lead to a labour shortage without citing evidence or specifics. The argument goes on to suggest that government could worsen the problem through a policy change.
First, the argument assumes that a ‘slow’ growth in labour supply may be insufficient to meet vacant positions in two categories of occupations: technical and professional. This statement takes a simplistic approach in portraying overall labour supply as being relevant in meeting demand from employers in two particular segments. It is quite possible that labour supply for those two niches is growing whilst overall supply is slowing. The inclusion of evidence, such as employment or unemployment statistics, would strengthen the argument here.
Second, it is implied in the passage that education will lead to more labour market supply yet no evidence is offered to support this. It is possible that many of the new positions are for unskilled or uneducated workers in which case a change in education policy would arguably have little or no impact. Details around educational requirements for workers to enter technical and professional jobs would bolster the argument.
Finally, it is suggested that cutting education funding for aid could worsen the labour supply shortage. The inference is it that fewer students may be able to afford education without this financial support. Again, no evidence is cited for this. It is possible that the type of education required for the new positions does not draw in students who are in need of financial support, in which case a cut in student aid would be irrelevant.
This argument is weak because it seeks to rely on generalisations about labour market forces to explain a looming crisis in two specific parts of the labour market.