I think you're misunderstanding how easy it is to translate those skills and just "make them learn it". They are blue-collar tradesmen at heart and while their line of work directly harms the planet, trying to get them into a desk-job is just nearly impossible. Not entirely, but I guarantee you it's a 1 out of 10 kind of thing with the people I've known whom are into coal-mining. Most of the time, it's a generational family thing less of a "job-as-identity" thing.

"job-as-identity" isn't exactly being a freak. Making it your whole personality, sure, but there are a lot of people who take pride in what they do and genuinely enjoy doing it. I know I enjoy the trade I am in and losing all access to it and getting told "just code lol" would justifiably make me pissed too.