PROFESSIONAL ATTITUDES OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND IMPORTANCE OF CAREER COUNSELING

Abstract

Professional attitudes are formed in the process of interaction of personal preferences and the influence of the social environment and are the basis of the professional choice of a school graduate. Professional attitudes are influenced by many factors, including goal-directed career counseling. Career counseling is aimed at forming professional preferences among high school students that meet the needs of the labor market. Despite the career guidance provided in schools, increased informational efforts, and the allocation of educational grants, high school students still encounter difficulties when it comes to choosing their future profession. As a result, there is a noticeable trend of employment in fields unrelated to their specialization, pursuing second higher education, and a decrease in competitiveness in the job market. The article presents the results of the study conducted among high school students in 2022. The purpose of the research is to study the process professional attitudes formation of high school students in Kazakhstani schools and evaluate the influence of school and out-of-school career counseling. The results of the study show that the majority of high school students have changed their initial professional attitudes. The main factors that have influenced these changes are the transformation of the labor market, the advice of «significant others», and employment opportunities. The study shows different frequency in providing career counseling depending on the type of school. Results of the study contribute to understanding the process of professional attitudes formation and assessing the significance of various factors. Key words: high school students, professional attitudes, career counseling, professional choice, attractive professions, choice of specialty.