With dwindling aid to public colleges and universities, accelerating

Question

With dwindling aid to public colleges and universities, accelerating tuition increases, and tightening credit conditions, area students and their families will be forced to make compromises in their educational pursuits. Many prospective students may forego college altogether. As a result, the state will face a significant shortage of skilled workers over the next decade.

Which of the following is an assumption underlying the statements above?

A. A college education is necessary to produce skilled workers. 
B. Unless trade schools see an increase in their enrollments, there will not be enough skilled workers.
C. Community colleges are less likely to produce graduates with skills than are state colleges.
D. On-the-job training programs are not as effective as those found at technical schools.
E. Workers with skills will be able to secure bigger salaries in the coming decade.

Akshat_verma_25 · Answer

Official Solution:

The premises discuss financial problems that could potentially reduce college enrollment, but do not mention skills.

Choice (A) bridges the gap  between the premises and conclusion by citing a direct relationship between higher education and skills.

Choice (B), in contrast, is out of scope, since it talks about trade schools, while (C) pits community colleges against state colleges.

Choice (D) is irrelevant because it compares on-the-job training programs to those at technical schools.

Meanwhile, (E) makes a prediction and is out of scope.

gaurikhanna17 · Answer

can someone please explain why not b? also why is it a, since the para said significant drop and not that it will lead to zero skilled workers

paragw · Answer

Why A?

A. A college education is necessary to produce skilled workers.
The argument links fewer college students to a future shortage of skilled workers.
If college were not necessary for becoming skilled, then people could become skilled through other routes and the conclusion would weaken.

Negation test:
"College education is NOT necessary to produce skilled workers."
Now people could become skilled through apprenticeships, trade schools, certifications, military training, etc.
The conclusion about a worker shortage becomes much less convincing.
So A is  required .

Why not B?

B. Unless trade schools see an increase in their enrollments, there will not be enough skilled workers.
This introduces a completely new condition: trade school enrollment.
The argument never mentions trade schools.
The conclusion could still be true even if trade school enrollment rises.
Negation test:
"Even if trade schools do not increase enrollment, there could still be enough skilled workers."
Does this destroy the argument?
No.
The argument is still making its claim based on reduced college attendance.
So B is  not   necessary .

With dwindling aid to public colleges and universities, accelerating

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