FBXL Social

Absolutely. And the thing is, skills aren't a linear path. For example you might think that you'd go into engineering work and you would never have to be an artist, but an excellent engineer has to learn how to connect with non-engineers. You can be an absolute God at converting a building design into mathematical models that you put into the LaPlace domain in order to determine whether resonance is it will cause a building to eventually fall over, but if you can't explain to people exactly why they should be listening to you, it doesn't matter if you're right.

In Plato's Republic they talk about how a person with one skill is better than someone with many skills, but often skills synergize and you can be much better with multiple skills at a lower level than if your skill at a specific thing is much higher but exclusive.

I'm surprised that you'd say that, because cross-training is quite common in some fields. For example, skilled craftsmen might cross-train because for example a millwright holding an electrical ticket can fully complete a job that might otherwise require both an electrician and a millwright to complete.

I know unions are a pain in the ass often. I worked at a union place, in some ways it was draining because you were trapped in such a narrowly defined role.

Even in that role, however, it's possible to use skills other than your primary skill as long as you're selecting properly complementary skills that aren't affecting anyone else's job. Nobody gonna file a grievance because you're doing a job nobody was going to do anyway.