The bad news is that new data from the estimable National Centre for Vocational Education Research shows apprentice and trainee starts were down in the year to September 2017. Non-trade commencements were 5.7 per cent lower on the year to September 2016. Trade starts dropped by 3.2 per cent. The good news is the September quarter was better than the same period last year with total commencements up 4 per cent.