It is not foolish to acquire skills if you don't have the opportunity to get educational qualifications. It depends the one that's more realistic for you to to first. Not everyone has the opportunity of getting educated at the initial stage of their life, does it mean that they should waste their life waiting for education? The best approach is to get your skills and make your living from there. And when you have raised money for practicing your skills, you can proceed in getting education by registering in the part time studies. Everyone one good things in life, but it's unfortunate that people don't usually get all that they want at the initial stage, but gradually you will build towards that by starting with the best option that present itself.
It would be foolish if we were given the opportunity to get educational qualifications but turned it down because of the misconception that education and degrees are no longer important in today's era. A misconception is being spread by unemployed recent graduates.
On the contrary, if we are not lucky enough and do not have the conditions to get educational qualifications. Learning a skill is an extremely wise decision because there is no better way for people without education to still have opportunities in life. Skills are the best solution for them.