how about the manager skill?
Holy cow! I'm so glad I asked for suggestions, because clearly I can't think of everything (:
I was working on a massive glass-making operation to train record keeper, but I would guess that Job Manager is just as awesome as Record Keeper, and all it takes is (as Martin said) a macro to queue up the jobs!
If I recall correctly, record keeping beat out even low-level-wrestling while supplies lasted. So, next test:
Dwarf 1: A record keeper, counting a pile of embark-wood and the stream of green glass. Test ends when he finishes counting.
Dwarf 2: Job manager, supplied by a macro which creates 100 collect sand (1) orders and 100 make green glass (1) orders.
Dwarf 3,4: Both practice wrestling with steel buckler and cat leather armor.
Dwarf 5,6: Practice wrestling, but only dwarf 5 has armor/shield.
Dwarf 7: Prepares the testing area, engraves it to attract immigrants.
Immigrants: Trigger Job Manager job, then fulfill the sand/glass orders as fast as they're given.
Hypothesis:
Dwarf 1 and Dwarf 2 gain XP at the same rate, highest in the group, until Dwarf 1 runs out of record-keeping work.
Dwarves 3 and 4 gain XP fast at first, but never faster than Dwarf 1 or 2. They will gain Wresting, Armor Bearing, and Shield Use quickly at first, along with slow social XP. As they become better wrestlers (dodgers) the martial skills will level slower, and social skills will raise faster, for much less total XP gain.
Dwarves 5 and 6 will be the same as dwarves 3 and 4, except that the armored dwarf 5 will gain much more XP than 6. Will dwarf 5 initially gain XP faster than dwarf 1 or 2?
Dwarf 7 will get bored and flood the world with magma.
I promise to take more frequent notes this time, so skill gain rates can be charted and analyzed.
(Did anyone else notice the bay12games site go super-slow for a few hours last night? Right as I try to vote in Mafia, of course (it's ok, I was wrong *again*). I thought for sure the new version was out.)