Skill Discussions

For myself, I started out as a PvE character. The best recommendation back then was for me to go Caldari, Missile platforms.
The PvE was supposed to help me with learning the process of targeting, flying, loading weapons, etc. etc. These same skills would also apply to PvP later. It also was a GREAT source of ISK. And provided a way for a guy to play solo within a very small corp at the time.
Some of the things that mattered back then were:
Good agents for level IV missions
Being close to a trade hub (We chose Jita)
Loyalty Point conversion
General sharing of knowledge about things that seem really basic now. That's what our corp was good with. Communicating and learning stuff.

After a year, I got a second account. That guy was strictly focused on sub-cap PvP. (the whole line of training sub-cap vs caps can easily be its own story)
My first character had trained corp management skills, cap skills, mining skills, you name it... So this second character became a better, more focused character, in a short time.

I also had a third character that was strictly opposite of all this. Even to the point of being another race, across the galaxy, I kept him separate from the corp so that I could play with some separation and privacy from the corporation. Only maybe 3 or 4 long trusted friends knew about him for many years.
That character built Gallente standings and made corporations for sale, joined corps to help adjust standings for them, created alliances, did some 3rd party transaction stuff. He can mine, manufacture, market, invent, jump freighter, Leadership, scan, etc.
All the things that the other two would never experience if they stayed true to their paths.

Feel free to ask any questions if you need.
I think the best thing you can do for newbs, is give them time saving advice when they start the game.

As an industrial player, the most useful ships I own are my transports especially my Blockade Runners. I recommend the certificates for mastery level 4. It's a while since I trained these skills but I don't recall any wasted skills in the certificates and it didn't take long to do (other than Racial Industrial 5)