Essay Example on Dropouts to the Rescue: Tennessee Needs College Graduates

Dropping out of college is one of the factors that contribute to the low number of college graduates within the state of Tennessee. According to Santhanam, as of 2013, Tennessee approximated that 55 percent of its state jobs would require at least a college degree or credentials by the year 2025 (par.12). Even the current number of graduates will not be able to fill in the deficit, and it is up to the adult students who had dropped out of college to fill in the deficit while improving the economy at the same time. The Reconnect program is designed to help such kind of people by giving them incentives such as tuition-free learning which would help them return to school. The program will improve the economy by increasing household income, the availability of skilled labor and investment initiatives.

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Getting college dropouts to return to college to finish their degree would most likely increase the average household income within the state of Tennessee. Getting a college degree will increase their chances of securing a stable job that pays well. Furthermore, the Reconnect program is offering to cover the tuition and other mandatory fees (Santhanam par.5). That means the students will not have to struggle with repaying a student loan, which could impede their social mobility. Most of these students have more than one job as well as families to feed. Joining college and taking student loans may negatively affect their financial stability and worsen their socio-economic status instead of improving it. Furthermore, a college graduate can command a more significant salary, which would improve their standards of living. Having a college degree is no guarantee for securing a job, but with the state intending to create more than 800,000 jobs within the coming years, those with at least a college degree stand to benefit the most because a significant portion of those jobs would require at least a college degree (Santhanam par.12). Lacking a college degree will only grant the residents access to 45 % of those jobs, while a college degree will grant them access to 100 % of those jobs because the degree will increase their skills hence making them more marketable.

The Reconnect program will increase the amount of skilled labor available in the state of Tennessee. According to Santhanam, "But that same year, only 33 percent of Tennesseans between the ages of 25 and 64 had earned a college degree" (par.12). Thirty-three percent is a lean figure for a region such as Tennessee that is in a developed country. Such a low number of college degrees negatively affects the formal sector, which is looking for employees. The program is looking to help approximately 900,000 to complete their degrees (Santham par. 5). Such a high number of student enrollment is likely to make a noticeable shift in the amount of skilled labor available in the state. The skilled workers will also increase the state's productivity. Employers will be able to get more out of their employees. Skilled workers are less prone to errors, which usually decreases the profit margins for employers. Having highly skilled labor is one of the requirements for having a strong economy, and the state of Tennessee will have to take care of that factor if it seeks to boost its economy. However, a skilled workforce is not just suitable for seeking employment and filling in the already available opportunities. They can also increase job opportunities by directly starting their initiatives in their relevant field of study or indirectly through attracting other businesses that are looking for skilled labor.

The skilled workforce attracts many businesses into the locality to capitalize on the opportunity. It seems like an opportunity for the state to help its population climb the financial ladder while increasing the tax collection because the majority of the population will move to a higher tax bracket. "Advocates say, potentially attract more employers to Tennessee while boosting the state's economy" (Santhanam par.5). The more investments the state can attract, the better the state's economy. It is likely to trigger exponential growth in employment opportunities. As more people get a college degree, the more employers they will attract into the state. More investment equates to more job opportunities within the state, and more people earn an income hence climb the social ladder. The state government will also collect more taxes that will enable them to undertake similar projects that seek to improve the welfare of its people.

The initiative taken by the state government is not only noble, but sound judgment from the governor. The United States does not have a perfect education system, and people encounter various challenges in the system that forces them to drop out. The Reconnect program gives these people a second chance to pursue their dream and increase their accomplishments. Investing in the education of its population is always a sound decision from an economic perspective. Its effects may not be immediately felt, but they will eventually be realized in time. These benefits will spread from the standard of living to employment opportunities available for the new labor force.

Works Cited

Santhanam, L. (2017, September 12). Tennessee is investing in a program that helps adults finish their college degrees. Will it boost the economy? Retrieved February 29, 2020, from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/education/tennessee-investing-program-helps-adults-finish-college-degree-will-boost-economy