First, a comment about "green energy investments". I read a few articles that this was creating a lot of new jobs that didn't exist before. So, even if climate change isn't a priority, there is the side benefit of lots of new jobs.

Perhaps a bit - but if the main point of the government program is something they view as not reflecting their priorities, but someone else's priorities, that "side benefit" isn't going to carry a lot of weight.

Plus "jobs that didn't exist before" is the optimistic way of framing it. The more pessimistic way of framing it is promoting jobs that "aren't my job," and possibly "jobs that aren't where I live." Dope1 mentioned the EV transition - which can be incredibly threatening to incumbent auto workers, especially those whose current positions are in firms or jobs that are related to the powertrain. Transitions (of any sort) involve uncertainty and risk in addition to opportunities.

Thanks for all the replies on the semi-fab jobs. It sounds like you don't necessarily need a degree to work in many of the positions. But given the fact that most people who work in the industry do have a degree, it may be that some of those positions end up being filled by candidates that have a degree anyway.