The article provides a comparative analysis of professional training of sports personnel, organizational conditions of their training and employment opportunities of graduates of sports educational institutions of Ukraine and Slovakia. It is revealed that the concept of «profession» is a type of occupation, work activity that requires a certain training; the main means of subsistence. Accordingly, vocational education provides a certain qualification, knowledge in a certain field of science and allows to work in a profession. It has been established that in Ukraine the training of junior bachelors of physical education and sports can be carried out on the basis of basic secondary education.Students are obliged to complete the educational program of specialized secondary education, corresponding to the field of knowledge and specialty, which is integrated with the educational and professional program of profile junior bachelor. In the professional training of Slovak institutions sports specializations are presented, which allow students to improve their motor and physical abilities, continue to build a sports career. Differences manifest themselves in the more professional orientation of educational programs of Ukrainian educational institutions, which allows graduates to obtain a diploma of thestate standard and to carry out full-fledged professional activity in positions: coach (by sport), instructor-methodologist in physical culture and health and sports and mass work, instructor in therapeutic physical culture, etc. The aim of the training in Slovak educational institutions is to improve physical and intellectual development and improve sports performance. The aim of the training is to improve the physical and intellectual development of the pupils; and to meet the requirements of secondary education; students complete secondary school and at the same time receive training to continue their studies in specialized higher education institutions. Only the most highly deserving representatives of the sports environment can qualify coach of the II category. We consider Ukrainian educational-professional programs more perspective and productive in training specialists of physical culture and sports.