once you have them they will use them but you have to make sure they have the things they need to build the tools. you have to sample stone and sticks early on. you can also place plants in the wastland for sticks. this seams like a bottleneck at first. Trees will grow back after they are cut but rocks will not come back when mined. Personally i avoid getting the pickaxe early on and just sample the rocks I need until end game.