Skill learning issues

[Bearhug67]

I don't know much about the skill and learning system to say much about it. But it sounds ok even the word 'grinding' makes me squirm as grinding is one of the biggest fun killers in so many games.
But well, it cannot avoid completely. No pain, no gain

some additional small ideas, thinking less of skill levels as more or other factors to add even a bit more spice.

Learning by doing is a good teacher, some trainer might not just help you to learn something but teach you instead additional extras like e.g. how to improve the harvest, how to use tricks how to sneak past creatures, how to get more usable wood out of a tree, etc.

I presume most skills require being good in one or two skills to have a chance for success. Maybe high values could help to improve the chance for learning the skill and/or using it successfully.

Using some items for some skills might increase the chance for success, increase the effect, range or time of the skill. The quality of the item can have an influence as well.
Without the item the skill might be still possible but a bit more difficult.

Books or scrolls might be another source for learning besides teachers. They might even give you training you could not find otherwise. For some of those materials you might need a minimum skill and/or attribute to learn from it.