I know that it's been interesting to compare the differences in the class composition when I've taken my two renewal certification courses.
In my initial class in 2002, only about 20 people - mostly male with 1 woman, 1 African American, and 2 hispanics (father and son)...3/4ths of the class were renewing their permits, the rest (like myself) were newbies.
First renewal class in 2006, about 30 people split abut 50/50 between renewals and first-time qualifiers - 8 women, 4 African Americans, 8 Hispanic (including one woman), 2 Asians, and the remainder white guys like myself.
Last year's class: 45 people about 1/3 renewals, 2/3 initial applicants. 15 women, 8 African American (2 women), 12 Hispanic (3 women), 5 Asians, with the remainder Caucasians. The class room was packed.
So what I've seen and been pleased with is increased female participation and increasing diversity in the pool of Concealed Carriers.
One quirk of Texas' CHL law is that if one qualifies with a revolver, one may only carry a revolver; if with a semi-automatic pistol, one may carry either a revolver or semi-auto. So the course instructor was encouraging them to qualify with semi-automatic pistols - not because there's a dang thing wrong with revolvers, but just so that they would have a choice later on.
Of the 8 or so who opted to switch to semi-autos, they had to borrow from other shooters who were willing to loan pistols...the range offered 25 rounds of ammo to each of them to allow them to shoot and familiarize themselves with the semi-autos and fully half of the other shooters offered the use of their pistols.
Those owners who loaned pistols were asked to load magazines for the people who switched to semi's during qualification shooting. I loaned a Sig P225 to the cause