Some skills though are useful. The combat skills are imperative if you wish to be a warrior of any sort, magery is crucial for nearly everyone, and some sort of money making skill is top priority for the beginning character. I'd highly suggest the beginning player choose these combinations, or your cash flow won't. Training with an NPC can raise your skill to about 30, good enough to get you started, but not much else. And it takes cash, about 10 gold pieces per skill point.
Statistics come in three flavors as mentioned earlier.
It goes up extremely slowly and is vital to nearly everyone. Statistics also go up by using skills that require those traits. So, casting a spell has a small chance to increase your intelligence. Chopping some wood has a small chance to increase your strength. Just be warned they all go up pretty slowly.