Sure there are. It's just kids don't know anything useful though that we actually need them to write essays. That's why we have them write pointless essays instead.

But I have to write essays on how certain systems work, and how certain tasks are achieved in my job in order to document these things. My writing skills definitely play a big part in making a tutorial that is easy for anyone to read and understand.

Until you need to document something important in an email or elsewhere and have no idea how to do it effectively.

Do you think that the only way to learn to document something important is to write boring standardized essays in a school setting?

It's proven to have been the most effective way. I'm happy to learn about other options though since the many of the younger people coming in to the workplace now seem to be half-illiterate.