A full-circle journey for Isaias Minchaca

“My community has always had my back in everything I do. They have given so much to me, and I have always wanted to give back.”

Those were words Isaias Minchaca wrote in his 2020 SLVREC Lineworker Scholarship application as a senior at Sierra Grande High School. Six years later, he is doing exactly that.

Isaias began at SLV Rural Electric Cooperative in April 2026 as a journeyman lineman. Prior to coming here, he spent five years working for a contractor in northern Colorado, where he completed his apprenticeship and gained valuable experience in the electric utility industry.

For the Fort Garland native, joining SLVREC represents a full-circle moment. The cooperative’s scholarship helped him pursue line school, launching the career path that would eventually bring him back home to serve the Valley where he was raised.

In his scholarship essay, Isaias described the line profession as more than a job. He wrote about the brotherhood among line-workers, the importance of teamwork and the responsibility that comes with helping restore power and maintaining services that are essential to every day life. He also shared his desire to return home one day and serve the community that had supported him throughout his life.

Today, that vision has become reality.

As a journeyman lineman, Isaias is responsible for construction, maintenance and repair of overhead and underground electrical distribution systems. He enjoys the hands-on nature of the work and appreciates the opportunity to spend his days working outdoors. While the position comes with significant responsibility and physical demands, Isaias embraces the challenges. He also values being part of the SLVREC team and working alongside experienced coworkers. 

Outside of work, Isaias enjoys fishing, hunting, riding side-by-sides and spending time outdoors with family and friends.

In his scholarship application, Isaias wrote that he was ready to “build myself and see where the future takes me with this career.” Today, that future has brought him back home to the San Luis Valley as a lineman with SLVREC, helping provide reliable electric service to the communities that invested in his success.

Welcome home, Isaias!