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Globalisation and automation have increased the relative demand for skilled workers. Governments have responded by expanding and improving education and training. But what kind of education/training should get priority - generic academic skills or occupation specific skills? This paper refutes the argument for dropping occupation specific skills by reviewing the research on a number of issues. The issues that are shown to be false are: (1) that academic skills are good substitutes for occupation specific skills; (2) that accelerating skill obsolescence has reduced the payoff to occupational training; and (3) that rising job turnover has reduced payoffs to occupational training by schools. Knowledge is exploding and new skills emerge every day. Rewards for specific skills are determined by the law of supply and demand. Abundant skills tend to be poorly rewarded. Scarce skills tend to be well rewarded. Most of one's educational career is spent in learning generic skills such as reading, writing and arithmetic that are in abundant supply. The author argues that generic skills are the tools for developing the scarcer skills and expertise that determine productivity, and good rewards, in particular jobs. Students should not be forced or advised to focus solely on academic classes in their final years in high school. Students should be advised to start building occupational skills and knowledge while they are still in school.