Why do millennials still chase degrees instead of skills?

I have no clue if that assumption is true.

A degree is an accomplishment and it takes skills to finish one. People are judged by their accomplishments. So they are right to prioritize degrees, to an extent.

I am an engineer. Engineers cannot be produced at scale solely via self-teaching or in the classic apprenticeship relationship, which is why most countries aspiring to become developed countries established technical schools on their way up. The more traditional/established the engineering discipline, the more the degree is a strict requirement. Again, degrees should be prioritized.

If someone is chasing a basketweaving degree instead of becoming an electrician or plumber? Yeah, I have no idea why someone would do that.