Honestly, in my country, there's not a shortage of smart people, just honest ones. And yes, finding honest workers is quite difficult, because sometimes there are workers who don't do their jobs well, whether it's through lying or simply having bad behavior. It's difficult to find people who are truly trustworthy in carrying out their duties, and even with the government, they're sometimes only nice at first.
An employee is not your family as they say so you can't expect them to really perform well in their job. They're just there because of the salary you give to them. It's rare to find an employee that really cares for his company or boss' business.
I believe that school and skills are interconnected. Through school, we can acquire good skills, and there are also schools to hone specialized skills. But not all skills can be learned in school; sometimes skills are acquired through everyday life. These skills are like the legs that enable us to stand and survive with the skills we possess.
Skills we learned outside school can't be get inside of them while what you learn in going to school is not easily taught outside by anyone. I don't believe anyone can succeed with only one, some may did but not everyone will have the same opportunity as those who made it with skills alone.