Development of an individual educational route for a student as a tool for a new educational landscape

Studies of vocational education in the Russian Federation show that there are no conducive conditions to the professional self-determination of young people in the chosen professional path at the proper level (even if the choice of profession was made unconsciously). The process of professional self-determination of a student at a university should be based primarily on the interaction of teachers with students, that implements the formation of professional goals and objectives, understanding the specifics of the professional field, obtaining professional knowledge, competencies, skills and the ability to apply them in practice. This approach can ensure the readiness of graduates to develop their individual educational route, as well as an entry into professional life and their place in it. The purpose of this study was to analyze the problem of professional self-determination of students and develop recommendations for the individual educational route preparation for students as a tool of implementing conscious educational activities on the part of the latter. To achieve the stated purpose: (1) the main activities of specialists in career guidance work with young people were analyzed; (2) 435 students were surveyed in order to identify the most priority professional areas, that are likely to be developed, and competences that determine the success of a specialist in particular professional activity; (3) individual educational routes of students who participated in the survey were compiled; (4) feedback was received from the participants of the study after half a year of training within the individual educational route in order to identify its effectiveness as a tool of professional self-determination and educational strategy. On the basis of the material received, the main conditions that favorably influenced the professional self-determination of student youth were identified. As the most effective node point of the individual educational route, the participants highlighted the practice of students on the basis of real organizations liaised with their future professional field and real staff positions (assuming full responsibility for their own work process). Responsible organization of students' practice can contribute to the real immersion of students into the professional environment, the recognition of themselves as emerging professionals by acquiring new competencies and the ability to compare themselves with this type of professional activity (realize themselves in a specific field); the creation of a single professional field of activity, which will include teachers of higher education and their students. This professional environment will allow young people to interact, communicate, and exchange experiences with professional teachers in their specialized fields. Through this collaborative activity, and through complicity, professional opinion gradually develops, professional thinking is formed, a complex of professional samples for students is collected. Development of a route for professional self-determination of students should be based on the following mandatory conditions: individual interaction ‘teacher-employer-student', approbation of the planned professional vector in the course of students' practices, reflection of the student's process of individual professional self-determination.