Skill Discussions

I'll bite. Obviously not adding core skills like Navigation 5, Mechanics, ... or any other rank 1 skill. This is also for combat oriented characters. I'm sure trade or science characters would have other priorities.

Cybernetics V: +5 and top tier pirate implants. It's one of the first skills I train usually. That added skill gain just pays for itself over time.
Advanced Weapon Upgrades V: It's a bit of a drag to train this one early on, but it's just such a good skill to have.
Logistics V: Be a bro, help your fleet out. Everyone will love you, money will rain from the sky, women will fall to your feet and all that jazz.

Drones, obviously. You need the drones skill at 5 to be able to use 5 drones, and to unlock the drone interfacing skill.

About OP's mention of thermodynamics, I strongly disagree. Taking it 3 or 4 should be a high priority, but there's a ton of other stuff you can train before taking it to 5.

Confirming this

There's plenty of tight kick ass fits that require you have this to V

I've actually flown a fit that requires EGU 5, AWU 5, and Astronautics Rigging 5. Eventually all those fitting skills come in handy if you're trying to squeeze that last little bit out of a ship (and especially a smaller one).

Having said that, fittings just aren't as tight as they used to be. Getting any reasonable destroyer fit used to require AWU 5 and some still needed implants after that. So no, fitting skills are no longer as important as they once were.

I'd be willing to second ship skills. The advantage you get per level is usually well worthwhile. I'd also throw out Acceleration Control to anyone reading this who hasn't trained it. Unless you're flying a freighter or shuttle you ought to have a prop mod so it's nearly universal. Train that early. For the mid-range character, Drone Interfacing is still a phenomenal skill even with its benefit halved.

Reading Comprehension V

please link me a fit where you need awu 5.

Knowing full well you weren't looking for a PvE fit I'll post this none the less:

[Confessor, sisters arc beams]
Coreli A-Type Small Armor Repairer
Imperial Navy Heat Sink
Imperial Navy Heat Sink
Imperial Navy Heat Sink
Corpii C-Type Adaptive Nano Plating

Limited 1MN Microwarpdrive I
Dark Blood Cap Recharger
Tracking Computer II, Optimal Range Script

Small Focused Beam Laser II, Imperial Navy Ultraviolet S
Small Focused Beam Laser II, Imperial Navy Ultraviolet S
Small Focused Beam Laser II, Imperial Navy Ultraviolet S
Small Focused Beam Laser II, Imperial Navy Ultraviolet S
Small Focused Beam Laser II, Imperial Navy Ultraviolet S
Small Focused Beam Laser II, Imperial Navy Ultraviolet S
Sisters Expanded Probe Launcher, Sisters Combat Scanner Probe

Small Capacitor Control Circuit II
Small Capacitor Control Circuit II
Small Hyperspatial Velocity Optimizer II

Evasive maneuvering, not just for the abilities but the massive amount of time you will save during all of your travels

The question was not "Is training it to V worth the time it takes," it was "Show me a fit that needs AWU V to work."

It certainly doesn't when you fly it with 3 empty rigs, 2 empty lows and an empty high.

I'm not questioning the practicality of spending 25 days training this vs 25 days training 5 other more important skills to 5. I don't even have it trained to 5 on my main yet because as far as i'm concerned, it's not worth training until most other supporting skills are at least 4.

But every once in a while I do come across a tight fit that would benefit from a few extra grid, and in those circumstances I wish I had it trained to 5 - However ****** the time spent training it would have been.

You asked to see a fit that requires it, so I gave you one.