To provide further end game activities:
Let players retain the 400/400 crafting skills they have learned when switching to a new profession.
In the world of star wars it would not be unreasonable for one to retain knowledge and cross-skill
Let players build up a character to be multiskilled, and as a by-product get the best value out of the companions that have their own set of diverse skills.
There is not much benefit in having a companion with diplomacy and slicing skills if I am doing armormech and scavenging. In the new model, the relevance of the companions skills come back into the game as well.
So at the end of the day we'd have players that can do more than one craft. There might be a ripple effect in the trade market on crafted items, but it will be offset through a rise in demand in crafting materials for those wanting to skill up a new trade.
Note: my suggestion is limited to crafting skills only, with the current limits of 2 gathering skills remain, and that gathering skills are not retained when unlearned (in accordance with current mechanic). Limit knowledge retention to just crafting trades.
It will also see those level 50's re-visiting the other planets again harvesting matts. Nothing wrong with giving people a reason to leave fleet right.