Increasing globalization has spotlighted a range of international approaches to career and technical education (CTE), including the German dual system, the British National Vocational Qualifications and General National Vocational Qualifications, and Australia's Vocational Education and Training and Technical and Further Education systems. Across the international spectrum, CTE reflects a country's economic and social investment in education and the strategies used to enhance the skill development of workers and foster their employability. The ways various countries have approached the challenge of raising productivity and competitiveness have changed over the years. Across countries, there is a growing awareness of the need to connect academic education and CTE. Core competencies, soft skills, and foundation skills that contribute to lifelong learning are increasingly being recognized as vital to employment in workplaces that demand flexible production methods, product and production innovation, and generation of new knowledge. The responsibility for CTE is also changing as systems encounter considerable pressure to reduce costs by increasing private investment and initiating public-private partnerships. This is especially true for continuing vocational training programs, which are showing a trend away from government-led funding toward demand-side initiatives that distribute costs across governments, industries, and individuals. (A 23-item annotated bibliography constitutes approximately 80% of this document.) (MN)