When I need a dwarf to start new with a skill like weaponsmith, I take time and choose a dwarf that is creative and would make a good weaponsmith. When I need a dwarf to begin working a skill like cheesemaking, I pick a dwarf that is of no great importance.
All of my dwarfs are in the military. Dwarf Therapist allows you to sort by squads and if a dwarf is not in a squad, I put him in one. I have three categories of military squads:
the full-time military:
squads that are scheduled to train 2 months per season, and have the best equipment.
During one month per season, they do civilian work like milking, wood burning, and plant gathering. Sometimes I
deactivate that squad's schedule when I need to resolve a production bottleneck (need to mill a lot of dimplecups or
burn a lot of wood).
the crafting militia:
squads that have no scheduled training, but have a barracks for individual combat drills and a cheap uniform.
Most of the time they are at a workshop, because they are the ones that produce the high-quality weapons, goblets, and rock tables.
the civilian laborers:
squads that have no schedule, no barracks, and no uniform.
These are the miners, woodcutters, and hunters, and are only in the military for my organizing.
All migrants are sorted into those three categories based on incoming skills or needs.
I rarely pay attention to their dreams and ambitions because there is always a shortage of bedrooms, armor, and rock blocks that needs attention first.
Hauling is eventually turned off for the crafting militia squads.