How TAG Welding School is Transforming Training and Workplace Culture
See how TAG Welding School strengthens skills, builds workplace culture, and delivers more consistent quality for customers.
June 3, 2026
TAG’s Welding School sits at the center of this effort, and it has become one of the most impactful culture building initiatives in the company.
“Training is the most powerful lever an organization has to shape and sustain its culture,” says Bonnie Krenzer, Human Resources Director at TAG Manufacturing.
Since joining the team in 2022, Krenzer has demonstrated her philosophy with action. In 2023, she launched a comprehensive training program for managers and supervisors, and has continued creating development opportunities for every level, top-down and bottom-up. She believes employees at every level of the business deserve the opportunity to sharpen their skills.
TAG Welding School
To improve welder retention at TAG, Krenzer pushed to implement a Welding School. She and Senior HR Manager Brady Ricks assisted quality experts Roy Dingle and Paul Smith to build a welding curriculum tailored to TAG’s unique operational needs.
The primary focus for the TAG Welding School is to train new employees who come in with welding experience and can pass a weld test. At TAG, welders handle massive components—some weighing as much as 15,000 lbs. This requires specific expertise that even experienced welders might not have, such as:
- Learning how to work with the thicker metals used in TAG products
- Mastering the Pulse vs CV welding
- Learning different procedures like multi-pass welding techniques (stacking beads)
- Understanding critical steps like preheating, which prevents cracking in the different grades of steel used in our products
Adding this standardized training for all incoming TAG welders helped to ensure that they were all learning the same safe practices and were ready to meet the expected quality standards once they complete the course.
A secondary training path in the TAG Welding School that only a few employees have completed is for employees without much welding experience. This path is meant for a current employee with consistent work attendance, aptitude, and work ethic who could pass an entry-level weld test. The expanded version of the course is around 3 weeks long, depending on the individual’s progress.
The results of the TAG Welding school have been transformative. By providing welders with the confidence to handle these high-stakes builds, TAG has seen a significant reduction in turnover and a boost in overall consistency and quality in production.
Skills Up Academy
Partnering with Chattanooga State Technical Community College, TAG now offers a Skills Up program. The courses in the program, as the name suggests, help employees to hone their skills with training tailored to the actual job at TAG. Participants who successfully complete the Skills Up course will be prepared to enter an apprenticeship in that area which would give them a huge boost in their career progression.
The first Skills Up course at TAG was held in 2024 for machinists. Because TAG’s typical on-the-floor training is often production-focused (mastering specific tasks like setting jaws on a lathe, for instance), new TAG machinists needed a standardized training for participants to explore the technical fundamentals, including:
- G-code and Software: Setting parts up accurately in the digital space.
- Blueprint Literacy: Gaining a deeper understanding of complex technical drawings.
- Industrial Mathematics: Mastering the foundational functions that ensure precision.
The first implementation resulted in better understanding and job-comfort for new machinists, and more Machine Shop employees are eager to enroll in the next session.
The training momentum isn’t slowing down. On March 30th, 2026, TAG launched a new Skills Up program focused on maintenance. This 13-week program will equip the maintenance team with background knowledge in preventative and predictive maintenance, root cause problem solving, and many other essential skills.
By investing in its people, TAG Manufacturing is setting the business up for success. As Bonnie Krenzer says, “Grow your own.” When you invest in employees and give them the tools to grow and succeed, the business and company culture grows with them.
How Training Strengthens TAG’s Culture
At TAG, training is more than a technical exercise. It is a cultural commitment to building a workplace where people feel confident, supported, and equipped to do their best work. When employees understand the “why” behind their tasks and have the skills to perform them well, it creates a culture of pride, ownership, and teamwork.
These programs also strengthen the connection between departments. Welders, machinists, maintenance technicians, and supervisors all benefit from shared standards and a common language around quality and safety. That consistency builds trust across the organization and helps new employees feel like part of the team faster.
And while the focus is on employees, the impact naturally extends to TAG’s customers. When teams are trained to the same high standards, the work becomes more predictable, the quality becomes more consistent, and the problem‑solving becomes more proactive. Customers experience smoother timelines, fewer issues, and a higher level of craftsmanship in every build.
All of this reinforces TAG’s commitment to being fast, rugged, and reliable. When people are well trained, they work with confidence, build with care, and deliver with consistency. Strong training strengthens the culture, strengthens the product, and strengthens the experience for everyone who depends on TAG.
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