Questions about getting skills for heroes

Hi, so I am not new to the game, as I have played since prophecies first came out, but after the new update, I figured it's time to really figure out how heroes work.
Basically, I am looking at a bunch of skill sets for heroes that supposedly work well, but my only question is how to get those skills to my heroes. Do I have to make a character of that profession and learn those skills? It seems like there is an easier way, something to do with unlocking the skills for your account. Also, is getting elite skills done differently? Do you have to use a cap sig?
Just trying to figure all this out.

Thanks a lot!

You just need to unlock a skill on your account and your heros can use that skill. Same for elite skills.

More info about unlocking skills here.

Normally, a skill is learned by a character - that means you can actually use it on that character. (Pay a skill trainer or get the skill as a quest reward)

However, a skill can also become unlocked for the whole account. That skill can not be used by the player, but it becomes easier for the player to learn the skill (all skill trainers in the campaign will offer it for sale) and heroes can use all unlocked skills of the account.

You unlock a skill in two ways. 1: learn it with a character and 2: pay to unlock it with Balthazzar faction from PvP.

Alright, that makes sense. Thanks a lot guys.

or you can buy the skill unlock packs @ $10 per set, this would give your heroes instant access to them and make it so that you can use tomes on your own characters to learn them

I used to go trapping in the Zaishen Elite to farm 6000 Balthazar faction per day without the need to actually play PvP. For 1000 Balthazar faction you can unlock 1 normal skill at the Priest of Balthazar, and for 3000 Balthazar faction you can unlock an elite skill.

In my opinion, it's the cheapest way to unlock skills for your heroes.

You can either purchase skills (from trainers) with a character of the proper class, or simply change your secondary (temporarily) to the proper class. Once the skill is unlocked, all your Heroes (and Mercs) can use it.

That still does not apply to elites however. You must earn those the ol' hard way.

The skill unlock packs will unlock Elites for your heroes. After that you can learn an elite for yourself via Elite Tome.

It works for all skills normal and elite, I bought the skill pack a long time ago and it's always been like that.