{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"466 Stories, Math, and \u201cNever Again\u201d Moments: Inside AWT Technical Training with Dan Merritt (Part 2)","description":" AWT\u2019s in\u2011person technical training is a keystone for developing competent water treaters. Yet classroom knowledge only matters when it survives the drive home and emerges later in the field. In this second conversation with Dan Merritt, CWT\u2014National Sales Manager at CH2O Inc. and head of AWT\u2019s education committee\u2014Trace Blackmore uncovers how stories, math, and memorable mistakes turn theory into intuition.  Why training keeps evolving  Dan explains that the Association of Water Technologies rewrites courses every year. Instructors refine content, delivery and demonstrations, not for novelty\u2019s sake, but because boilers and cooling towers rarely behave like textbook examples. Recognizing that multiple chemical reactions operate simultaneously helps prevent chasing the wrong problem. Updated program design and operations classes now bridge the gap between fundamentals and advanced topics. Specialized modules for sales, membrane\/softener maintenance, ASSE 1280 compliance, and a two\u2011tier wastewater curriculum ensure that attendees can match coursework to their experience and role.  Lessons from experience: paperwork, PPE and people  Anecdotes ground the theory. Dan recounts losing his Certified Water Technologist status for five years after assuming an office manager filed his recertification paperwork. He re\u2011sat the exam in 2016 and now tells every candidate: verify your own paperwork. Another incident involved a sulfuric acid injection line that still held pressure; a line blew while he was replacing a fitting, covering his jeans in acid\u2014his apron protected his torso, but he still had six\u2011inch holes in his pants. \u201cWear your PPE\u201d is his first piece of advice to new technicians. Beyond safety, Dan highlights that water treatment careers demand communication and management skills. Technical strengths don\u2019t automatically translate into leadership; becoming a mentor and training others brings lasting fulfillment.    Developing a growth mindset For new practitioners, Dan recommends learning from whoever will teach you and embracing the \u201cnerdy\u201d parts of the job\u2014math, chemistry and calculations translate directly into customer value. After the first year it\u2019s easy to plateau, so he urges veterans to intentionally take on new technologies such as wastewater treatment or chlorine dioxide and to share knowledge with younger colleagues. This industry can\u2019t be automated or offshored; field troubleshooting will always require hands\u2011on expertise. Even in sales roles, success comes from offering solutions grounded in a deep technical foundation.  Looking ahead  The episode closes with a call to prepare for AWT\u2019s upcoming training seminars (March 10\u201313 and November 11\u201314). Attendees should bring system data and be ready to teach one takeaway to their teams when they return. Scaling Up! H2O encourages listeners to invest in their careers, meet peers and instructors, and approach each technical challenge as an opportunity to raise the bar for the entire industry. Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!    Timestamps  01:35 - Trace Blackmore shares a reminder for listeners about the AWT Technical Training on March 10-13   04:12 \u2013 Words of Water with James  09:20 - Transition to Interview Recap 11:24 - Second part Interview with Dan Merritt, CWT  12:40 - Losing CWT Certification 20:49 - ASSE 12080 Training 22:49 - Wastewater Training Expansion 38:22 - Sulfuric Acid Incident   Quotes \u201cFailure is not the failure. Quitting is the failure.\u201d  \u201cThe water treatment industry is not something that you can do remotely. There is always going to be the need for people to troubleshoot water systems.\u201d  \u201cBeing a mentor is a great way to take that experience that we have and translate it\u2014to give it away to those in our company.\u201d  \u201cDon\u2019t worry about making mistakes. We all make mistakes, and that\u2019s how you learn.\u201d  \u201cI swore up and down that I would never be a salesman. Now I\u2019m the sales manager because I realized that selling solutions grounded in technical knowledge isn\u2019t about pushing products\u2014it\u2019s about helping people.\u201d    Connect with Dan Merritt, CWT  Email: dmerritt@ch2o.com   Website: .https:\/\/www.ch2o.com\/  LinkedIn: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/daniel-merritt-cwt-18413819\/.    Guest Resources Mentioned   Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't by Simon Sinek (Paperback)    The AI-Driven Leader: Harnessing AI to Make Faster, Smarter Decisions by Geoff Woods, AI Thought Leadership   The Accidental Superpower: Ten Years On by Peter Zeihan (Narrator, Author)   The Shattering Peace: Old Man's War, Book 7 by John Scalzi (Author), Tavia Gilbert (Narrator), Audible Studios (Publisher)  Education Offerings \u2013 AWT  Become Certified \u2013 AWT    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  AWT Technical Training - Registration  2026 AWT Technical Training Schedule  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea  The Rising Tide Mastermind    Words of Water with James McDonald  Today's definition is a quantitative chemical analysis method to find the unknown concentration of a substance by gradually adding a solution with a known concentration until the reaction is complete, often signaled by an indicator's color change. Can you guess the word?       2026 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we\u2019ve listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.    ","author_name":"Scaling UP! H2O","author_url":"http:\/\/scalinguph2o.com","html":"