Introduction. Successful upgrade of the secondary professional education (SPE) has a key value for innovative development of domestic economy. First of all, the solution of a task of creation of high-technology workplaces and development of labour productivity has a key role. However, the process of reforming of SPE, which dragged on for many years, is followed by the internal and external contradictions which are slowing down an inflow of necessary skilled personnel on the labor market. The aim of the present article consists in drawing attention to the collected problems and contradictions in the system of SPE which are in many respects caused by inconsistency in rule-making and legislative activity of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, special-purpose committees of the State Duma of Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation in education. Methods. The research is based on the analysis of normative and program documents in the field of SPE, realization of competence-based approach in practice of activity of establishments of professional education. Results and scientific novelty consist in identification and designation of the obvious and hidden antinomy existing in the SPE system now. The reasons for the late reaction of system of training of personnel to the transformations happening in economy are disclosed: discrepancy of training programs to requirements of employers; unsatisfactory quality of training of graduates; fall of prestige of working professions and specialties among youth; the broken ratio in a life-long education chain «a worker – a technician – an engineer»; reduction of the staff of masters of professional training; disinterest of employers in the joint SPE problem resolution (in cooperation with pedagogical community); excessively fractional specialization of professions of workers in available occupational classifications, etc. The designated problems enable to begin a search of ways of their decision and options of the valid upgrade of the SPE system answering to the requirements of economy. The inefficiency of the concept of one-leveled SPE and its non-competitiveness against the background of development of an applied bachelor degree at the higher school is shown. It is offered to differentiate programs of basic level for training of skilled workers and the program of the increased level for training of specialists of an average link (technicians, technologists) on the basis of basic level for forming of a single system of continuous professional training and effective functioning of regional systems of professional education. Such system will help to eliminate disproportions in a triad «a worker – a technician – an engineer», and will increase the quality of professional education. Furthermore, it is indicated the need of polyprofessional education wherein the integrated educational structures differing in degree of formation of split-level educational institutions on the basis of network interaction, convergence and integration are required. According to the author, in the regions it is necessary to develop two types of organizations and SPE organizations: territorial multi-profile colleges with flexible variable programs and the organizations realizing educational programs of applied qualifications in specific industries (metallurgical, chemical, construction, etc.) according to the specifics of economy of territorial subjects. Practical significance. The results of the research can be useful to specialists of management of education, heads and pedagogical staff of SPE institutions, and also representatives of regional administrations and employers while organizing the multilevel network system of training of skilled workers and experts of middle ranking.