Founder Creates a Co-op Program Based on His Rewarding Experiences
Ryan Blair, E’05, mechanical engineering, is building a successful co-op program at NuWave Energy Solutions, which he founded in 2019, that draws from the rewarding co-op experiences he had at General Dynamics and Bluestone Energy Services more than 20 years ago.
To Ryan Blair, E’05, mechanical engineering, it would not make sense to operate NuWave Energy Solutions, a full-service energy conservation company he founded in 2019, without a co-op program.
Starting with his own successful co-op experiences more than 20 years ago, Blair has consistently either worked with or hired and managed co-ops. He sees co-op students as strategic to his business because of their skills and contributions to projects. As a bonus, NuWave’s co-op program is building a talent pool to draw from as the business grows.
“Throughout my career, we have always had Northeastern co-ops,” says Blair, who got his start in the energy industry as a co-op at Bluestone Energy Services in 2002. Bluestone was eventually acquired by OpTerra, where Blair excelled and ultimately served as president.
Since founding NuWave five years ago, he has hired two co-ops each year and recently hired a former co-op to a full-time position, joining his staff of 16.
His own co-op experiences influence the way he supports co-ops today, and Blair notes that providing a positive work and educational experience can have a significant impact on a student’s career path. “If I didn’t have my co-ops, I don’t think I would own my own business today,” Blair says.
Co-op students enrich his business, most notably by bringing a strong work ethic and engineering talent to project teams. “To me, a co-op student is someone who will do meaningful work,” Blair says. “After the first six weeks or so they are in the field and doing audits and other work, like interacting with contractors and utilities.”
“We give them responsibility, so they are contributing to the company and to themselves,” Blair adds.
Blair also expects the co-op program will enable him to hire full-time engineers in the future from the talent pool he is developing. “You get to see the students who are really enjoying the work and are really passionate about what they are doing,” he says. “Co-ops gives you the ability to organically grow your team.”
Blair works at giving co-ops opportunities similar to what he had. When he completed his co-op at General Dynamics, he decided he did not want to work for a large corporation. So, he searched for a different work environment for his second co-op and found it at Bluestone Energy Services. The founder, Peter Fairbanks, was a true mentor who encouraged Blair to tackle new projects, make mistakes, learn, try innovative approaches, and succeed.
“I kind of fell in love with the whole small business approach and pride of ownership,” Blair says.
When he looks back, Blair wonders if he may have frustrated Fairbanks on occasion because he was so energetic and gung ho. If he did, Fairbanks never let on and only offered encouragement. That’s what he hopes to achieve as well.
“I want to have a culture that is innovative, team-orientated and rewarding,” Blair says. “People are going to make mistakes and learn from them. We try to encourage them to be the best person they can be.”
He also welcomes co-op students to participate in off-hours activities, like weekend games of golf.
“When you spend time together like that, you build a culture of people who want to work with each other and work hard for each other,” Blair says. “I have found that people feel more rewarded when they feel connected.”