Today's strummers in many cases are tomorrow's finger pickers. Unless things have changed drastically since I was learning most players learned to strum first.
Strumming in itself can be very skillful if it is done properly.
I take the point that young players are not going to go to traditional folk clubs.
I help out at a local school teaching young kids to start to play guitar. Some have turned out to be fine musicians, but they don't go to folk clubs.