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As far as trade skills are concerned, they are a short term money drain/long term cash cow.
I make hundreds of k a month making items for work orders, plus the easy money of turning in items such as phoenix eggs. That's a skill that is certainly worth building up. And trade skills have made me millions. That is outside of the fun of being able to construct most of my own gear and modify it. I've made over a dozen sets of max crafted yellows for various skill combinations.
Trade skills are not immediately profitable, correct. You are building up the skill and will then be able to profit from it forever.