For some licenses, a high school diploma (or equivalent) is a reasonable and even necessary prerequisite. These might include licenses requiring:
* Significant technical knowledge: For example, a professional engineer's license requires a significant educational background, often including a college degree, which builds upon a high school foundation. A high school diploma would be a minimum reasonable expectation.
* Complex decision-making and responsibility: Licenses for professions like nursing or piloting demand a certain level of maturity, comprehension, and responsibility that a high school education at least partially cultivates.
* Public safety: Licenses for professions like plumbers, electricians, or cosmetologists relate to public safety; a basic level of literacy and foundational knowledge is essential for understanding regulations and best practices.
However, for other licenses, a high school diploma might be an unnecessary barrier:
* Licenses requiring minimal skills: Some licenses, like those for certain types of vending machines or simple business permits, might not require advanced education and could be accessible with training and experience alone. Requiring a high school diploma would be unnecessarily restrictive.
* Licenses for individuals with significant experience: Someone who has worked in a particular trade for many years and demonstrably possesses the requisite skills might not need a high school diploma to obtain a license, especially if they meet alternative qualification criteria through demonstrable competency.
In short, the appropriateness of a high school diploma requirement for a license is context-dependent and needs to be evaluated based on the specific requirements and responsibilities associated with that license. A blanket rule either way would be inappropriate.