When students ask John Isaza why he teaches — despite the higher salary he could earn as an electrician — his answer is simple.

“I love my job,” he tells them. “When you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work.”

Isaza, a UFT Career and Technical Education Award winner, teaches electrical installation at Coop Tech in Manhattan, not far from where he began his own journey in the trade. A 1993 graduate of Queens Vocational HS, he was encouraged early on by his instructor to pursue the Success Via Apprenticeship (SVA) teacher-training program.

“I owe a lot to SVA,” Isaza said. “They prepared me for this.”

In his first year at Coop Tech, Isaza transformed an empty room into a functioning electrical shop. He remained in that modest space until 2011, when his then-principal sent him to Colorado for solar electric training. When he returned, he was offered a classroom four times the size — an opportunity he seized upon to expand his program and incorporate solar technology.

Over the years, Isaza has built his curriculum from the ground up, refining it to meet students where they are. Lessons are structured so students can progress at their own pace while gaining a solid foundation in electrical work.

“I’ve developed it to a point where the class, in a sense, runs itself,” he said.

At the same time, he tailors his instruction to accommodate a wide range of academic abilities. Through one-on-one support and carefully designed projects, he weaves math, reading and writing into hands-on learning, helping students understand how those skills apply in real-world settings.

Now a mentor to newer teachers, Isaza shares both his technical expertise and his teaching philosophy.

He credits his family as a driving force behind his approach. “My wife is a big part of how I think,” he said, adding that his strong work ethic comes from his mother, who continues to work into her 70s.

For Isaza, the most meaningful moments come not from awards, but from his students.

“My biggest reward is when they say, ‘Thank you,’ or ‘You really care,’” he said. “At that point, I know I’ve done my job — and I’m at peace.”