This seems to be one of those ridiculous "jump through the hoops" kind of thing.
The son of one of my friends, who happens to be pretty smart, went from 10th frade in high school directly into university, without getting a diploma. Five years later, he had his PhD as a research scientist.
He could not find a job -- something was amiss because he could not produce a high-school diploma. All he could get was a minimum wage job in retail. So he took the GED, passed (of course), and at last was able to check that box. Employment problems vanished, and he is now a rising star in his field.
We seem to be moving all to rapidly from a "what can you do" economy to one that is more interested in your credentials than in your skills.