I think that's one way, but not the only way. A single specific rare and valuable skill ("software engineering") can make you stand out, but a bundle of related or even unrelated skills can be even better (software engineering + design + business skill + good writer).

Scott Adams talks about combining skills like that in his book How to Fail at Almost Everything And Still Win Big [0]. He talks about his own combination of skills being "funnier than average" and "decent at drawing". I thought it was a good read. His talk of systems vs goals was also very worthwhile.

0: https://www.amazon.com/How-Fail-Almost-Everything-Still/dp/1...

I would says so. If it's a rare and valuable skill, but is relatively easy to acquire, then people will eventually do exactly that. Perhaps they haven't just yet because word has not gotten out, but it will.

The only way a skill remains rare and valuable, is if the skill is difficult to acquire and master at a high enough level to be useful. All the high paid professions fall under that category. Software engineering is definitely one of them.

I don't think the skill has to be inherently difficult (although difficulty might have a direct correlation with ease of access to documentation, which means rare skills will always be difficult because no one has an incentive to maintain public/low bar access to documentation). The difficulty might lie in understanding or predicting that a particular skill will be rare and valuable in the short/medium term. Being an early adopter is risky, but if you make a winning bet the world will be your oyster.