503 Pinks and Blues: Beyond Industrial Water Week 2026

Industrial Water Week 2026 has ended, and Trace Blackmore, CWT, challenges listeners to carry its focus on learning and mentorship into the rest of the year. This Pinks and Blues episode combines reflections on IWW26 and the AWT convention with listener questions about AI and professional development.

Give continued learning a place on your calendar

Trace proposes a specific challenge: choose one of Industrial Water Week's five focus areas and schedule 30 minutes to improve your understanding. Those areas are pretreatment, boilers, cooling, wastewater, and careers.

He suggests reading an article, watching a training video, revisiting an earlier podcast, or walking an account with fresh eyes. He also encourages listeners to consider someone they could mentor, a question to ask a mentor, or a process to improve.

Build on the relationships behind the industry

Looking back at the AWT convention in Oklahoma City, Trace recounts listeners saying the podcast motivated them to pursue the Certified Water Technologist designation or reconsider leaving the industry. He describes the Scaling UP! H2O magic button as a way to start conversations with other attendees.

He also recalls Mark Lewis sharing the spotlight during his award recognition. That gesture allowed Tom Brandvold to present Trace's earlier award to him in person.

Use AI while continuing to develop your expertise

Answering questions prompted by Episode 492, Trace recommends AI for routine data gathering and study aids built from information the user knows is correct. His experiences with incorrect blending instructions reinforce his recommendation to verify technical answers.

For service reports, he suggests using AI to improve the wording of factual notes about completed work, including probe calibration, cleaning, and pump priming. Each report should still describe that particular visit.

For employers, Trace recommends deciding which platforms to use, reviewing settings, training employees, and documenting acceptable use. He also suggests seeking knowledgeable help when developing an AI policy.

Choose a learning path that fits your next step