РОЗВИТОК РЕГІОНАЛЬНИХ СИСТЕМ ПРОФЕСІЙНОЇ (ПРОФЕСІЙНО-ТЕХНІЧНОЇ) ОСВІТИ

Abstract

The entry campaign for vocational education institutions in Ukraine traditionally starts in May-June and lasts until 1 September, but enrolment is not interrupted throughout the calendar year. During 2011-2020, there was a steady decline in the number of students and trainees admitted to vocational education institutions. The main reason for the considerable reluctance of young people and adults to acquire working professions is the false stereotype of its prestige. As a result of the admission campaign launched in 2021, for the first time in the last ten years, there has been an increase in the number of entrants to vocational education institutions. New entrants are offered integrated, consolidated professions that will help them to acquire wide-ranging qualifications and competencies. The article ranks the most popular integrated professions among this year's entrants. Factors contributing to the prestige of vocational education were identified. In particular, vocational guidance is being actively provided to young students and the number of Training аnd Practical Centres is increasing. The process of optimizing the network of vocational education institutions will also enhance the prestige and competitiveness of vocational education. The study found that Lviv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Vinnytsіa, and Kyiv are the leaders in terms of the number of persons admitted to vocational institutions, the number of Training аnd Practical Centres established, the number of dual vocational training students. The main direction of further increase in the number of entrants to vocational education institutions is the adoption of the new Law of Ukraine "On Vocational Education" in the draft of which changes are proposed regarding the image of vocational education, as well as the terminology, content and mecha­nisms of functioning have been updated.