Question: I'm new to C++ and am wondering how much time I should invest in learning how to implement template classes. Are they widely used in industry, or is this something I should move through quickly?

Answer: 
Of course they are used in the industry. Just look at the Standard Template Library (STL)!

You definitely should know how to work with templates, and better, learn how to do some fancy things with them like template metaprogramming, ok, that may be optional, but template classes are not!

**EDIT:** Even more, a lot of other languages like Java and C# support the concept of generics, that being the equivalent to templates in c++, but generics are far more restrictive.
I'd say understanding templates is a requirement for modern C++ style and idioms and getting the most out of the language. They aren't as difficult as one is often made to believe. If you are a beginner I'd absolutely recommend a book like [Accelerated C++](http://www.buschnick.net/Book_Reviews/About.shtml#Accelerated%20C++) which offers a very gentle and natural introduction to templates.