VET trade teaching is off the bottom, with 174 000 enrolments in the March quarter, according to new figures from the estimable Centre for Vocational Education and Training. This is the best figure since mid 2016, but way down on the highest recent figure, 213 000 in the September quarter of 2013. Non-trade course enrolments are 100 000 down over the same period, to 98 000. Commencements for both groups were up 1.5 per cent YTD for the March quarter in 2017.