An international congress produced discussion and debate regarding the factors that will shape technical and vocational education in the new century and the new millennium. Speakers declared that the 21st century will be an era of knowledge, information, and civilization. According to the speakers, key features of the 21st century will include globalization, competitive pressure, new technologies, the growth of the service industries, increases in leisure and tourism, increases in longevity, and increasing anxiety and turbulence. The speakers also asserted that the world needs a new paradigm for social and economic development that is more human-centered, inclusive, environmentally friendly, developmental, empowering, socially transforming, and technological and that involves self-reliance and learners shaping their futures with continuous independent learning. Speakers at the congress noted the session's landmarks, including an emphasis on the necessity of a commitment to education and training and the removal of the barriers between academic and technical and vocational education. Challenges include the debt levels of developing countries, dropout from the educational systems of developed countries, the need for ethical discussion of technological advances, the need for synergy between academic and vocational education, and the appropriate mix of funding for technical and vocational education among government, employer, and learner. To address these challenges, many partnerships will be needed. Among the energy sources identified for moving the situation forward are political commitment, vision, leadership, lifelong learning, curriculum reform, new technologies, and international cooperation, and the potential contributions of young people. (KC)