Manual　GTAW　is　commonly　used　in　industry　especially　for　applications　which　require　high　weld　quality.　Unfortunately,　skills　needed　for　critical　welding　operations　typically　require　a　long　time　to　develop.　In　this　paper　a　control　system　was　developed　to　assist　the　welder　in　regulating　his/her　arm　movement　(i.e.,　the　welding　speed)　in　real-time.　Training　experiments　are　conducted　by　a　human　welder,　whose　movement　speed　(system　output)　is　accurately　tracked　by　a　Leap　motion　sensor.　Visual　commands　(arrows　with　both　direction　and　amplitude)　are　displayed　on　a　monitor,　which　is　used　as　system　input.　Modeling　trials　suggest　that　Moving　Average　(MA)　models　are　not　sufficient　in　capturing　the　human　movement　dynamics.　Auto-Regressive　Moving　Average　(ARMA)　models　are　then　identified　using　Least　Squares　(LS),　and　F-test　is　used　to　select　the　model　order.　Pole　placement　controller　is　proposed　to　control　the　human　welder　arm　movement.　Controller　simulation　shows　that　the　proposed　controller　is　able　to　drive　the　system　to　desired　speed　with　no　static　error　and　acceptable　regulating　speed.　To　further　demonstrate　the　effectiveness　of　the　proposed　controller,　tracking　experiments　are　conducted　by　a　human　welder　to　track　various　set-points.　It　is　observed　that　with　the　proposed　pole　placement　controller,　the　welder　can　track　the　desired　speed　with　acceptable　accuracy.　The　proposed　welding　speed　assistance　system　may　be　beneficial　to　develop　the　next　generation　intelligent　welding　machines.　©　2014　IEEE.