On balance, it is better for businesses learn to WordPress than other aspects of web development.

Contention #1 - WordPress limits creativityIn regard to the SEO issues raised by my opponent, automatic SEO tools are generally inferior to manual SEO tools.[1][2] Search engine optimization is, in truth, yet another reason to learn web design.The level of customization that can be done for WordPress themes is extremely limited, you must admit. Although it does exist, it does not extend far beyond changing the header image and perhaps the background motif for most themes.Contention #2 - The WordPress experience is improved by web design skillsWhether or not it is worth the time and effort is up to each individual business. But I will wager that for most business owners who do business online there arises a situation in which they wish that they had the ability to customize their own site at least once. Web Page Mistakes has two lists that I would like to present. The first is a list of reasons as to why a custom design is superior to a template design. Unique design. With a custom web design it is created just for your business. Your website will be different from anyone else’s. By hiring the right web designer, it will be constructed so it is search engine friendly. How the background coding of your website is done will influence your success in the search engines. The website will be more adaptable to your company’s needs. If you have done your website planning, you will have a list of features you wish to have. By prioritizing this list of website features, you will give the web designer an idea of what to accommodate for in the future if your current budget doesn’t allow all the features to be implemented from the start. Scalability. Just like adaptability, if you have planned what you want in the future for your website, a good web designer will take this into consideration as they select the technologies to use while building the website.[3] The second list is a presentation of the downfalls of website templates. There is going to be a ton of other people using the same template. Unless you pay the “Exclusive” price for the template, the template website is going to keep selling that same template to anyone that comes along. Keep in mind, even if you pay the exclusive price, there are others who have bought the template prior to you and they still have the right to use it. If it’s a really appealing template, there may be lots of other people who have already bought that very template. You will be limited on the customization of the website template. Without web page coding skills, you are still going to have to either spend the time and money to learn how to code a web page or hire someone to help you. Some templates are laid out very specific. Meaning if you incorporate your own graphics or have extensive content, the template could break. Some website templates are not built to be search engine friendly. As explained above, it is important how the background coding of your website is done. If not done correctly, it could hurt your marketing efforts on the Internet. Antiquated coding. If the website template uses antiquated coding, it might not work in all browsers.[4] Contention #3 - WordPress plug-ins do not fill every needHow long it takes to create them is irrelevant if that is what is needed by the business.As for outdated plug-ins not being an issue, I suggest you do a search for "defunct" on the WordPress site. It will turn up many entries for plug-ins that are no longer valid due to WordPress updates. I have personally dealt with the frustration of having a needed plug-in, one that seemed to be one-of-a-kind and the only one that would meet my needs, not match my client's version of WordPress.ConclusionThank you to Pro for a good debate. To summarize my points in this debate, WordPress is a wonderful tool that can indeed save businesses time and money. But even when using WordPress, the online experience is improved by having a grasp of at least basic web design skills. Also, there sometimes arise situations in which WordPress simply cannot meet a businesses' needs and a custom fix is required.Sources1. http://www.awoa.com...2. http://www.seochat.com...3. http://www.webpagemistakes.ca...4. Ibid.