PROFESSIONAL SELF-DETERMINATION AS A NECESSARY CONDITION FOR BECOMING A FUTURE SOCIAL WORKER

The article attempts to research the theoretical foundations and approaches to define the concept of «professional self-determination of an individual», describes the main stages, components, and factors of professional self-determination of future social workers. The aim of the article is to study the formation of professional self-determination of future social workers in the conditions of modern Ukrainian society. Theoretical, general scientific, and empirical research methods were used. Professional self-determination is a system-creating center for the entire system of possible «self-definitions» of a growing person as a subject of activity and a citizen. The authors consider issues related to professional and personal self-development, its components, distinguish subjective and objective factors that influence the choice of a profession, mark the stages of this multifaceted process. The article draws attention to the fact that professional self-determination is part of the general process of youth socialization, a necessary condition for their success and competitiveness in modern socio-economic realities. Society especially needs people who have a high general educational and professional level of training, capable of solving complex social, economic, political, scientific, and technical issues. Based on an experimental study of the social and psychological features of the formation of professional self-determination of students, the analysis of various approaches to the definition of this phenomenon, it was concluded that in modern social sciences, the self-determination of an individual is understood as the process of deciding by an individual regarding the choice of future work activity. The conducted research allows us to conclude the approach to professional self-determination as a complex dynamic process of personal orientation in the professional and working environment, the development and self-realization of spiritual and physical capabilities, the formation of adequate professional intentions and plans, and a realistic image of oneself as a professional. The problems of this work actualize the need for further scientific research focused on the separation of the necessary pedagogical requirements for the professional development of future specialists in the aviation industry.