My daughter struggled in math during high school years. On parents' night her Junior year, the teacher reassured us that all students would pass Algebra II. He was more concerned about the Seniors in the optional Economics Class. He made fun of how they couldn't tell a deposit from a deduction and didn't know anything about FICA, savings accounts or how to open a checking account.

This bothered me.  I mean, why should the school teach her Algebra II (Sine, Cosine, Absolute Value) instead of teaching her a skill she will need to know every day for the rest of her life? Instead of teaching useless knowledge that she will never have a purpose for?

Many professions are like this. Chiropractors are not taught how to market their businesses. In Chiropractic schools, students learn almost everything they will need to know to be successful physicians in their field... except the one thing they will need to use for the rest of their careers - Marketing.

Their offices are riddled with molds and pictures of spines and posters with admonition to get checked regularly, inside the office to the people who are generally SOLD on their services already.

Coincidentally ministers are not taught how to hold business meetings or develop leaders. These are skills they will need to know to lead people and keep their churches focused as long as they serve in pastoral positions.

Sales managers are not taught how to manage people effectively. Sure, they sell great, but that is the one thing they will stop doing once they become a sales manager. Instead, they will have to know how to manage different people and motivate them in the styles those people respond in. 

What skills were YOU never taught that you need to know every day to do your job effectively?