This article is from The Edison Welding Institute which is on par with TWI in the UK... The US Navy Joining Center were involved in the publication of this report also...
Good article! Included in this report are some of the process developments, follow-up baasic research and welder training developments from EWI and I know that at least one of these will be able to catch your interest such as the "AdvanceTrainer" as well as the other developments included in this .pdf... Here's the link:

http://www.nsrp.org/6-Presentations/Weld/050812_Arc_Welding_Optimization_Tech_for_Shipbuilding.pdf

P.S. There's more on the welder training in the Education section of the forum which I posted a link on a "Virtual Welder" training system being used @ the major naval shipyards in the US today, so go take a look afterwards if you don't mind.

Respectfully,
Henry