PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF FUTURE IT SPECIALISTS IN INSTITUTIONS OF PROFESSIONAL PRE-HIGHER EDUCATION

The article provides a theoretical rationale and identifies key directions for improving the professional training of future IT specialists in institutions of professional pre-higher education in the context of societal digitalization, transformations of the educational environment, and increasing labor market demands. The relevance of the study is determined by the urgent need to modernize educational processes in response to the rapid development of the IT sector, which plays a crucial role in the economic, social, and technological progress of the state. The current state of IT specialist training in Ukraine is analyzed, with emphasis on systemic shortcomings and the lack of a comprehensive approach to organizing the educational process at the professional pre-higher level. The study generalizes theoretical approaches to the essence of professional training and the structure of IT specialists’ competencies, and characterizes the specific features of IT education in Ukraine in comparison with leading international models. The key pedagogical innovations are highlighted: competence-based, dual, and project-based approaches, as well as the use of blended learning technologies, STEM/STEAM education, cloud services, digital platforms, gamification, and adaptive learning methods. The importance of developing both hard and soft skills in the context of professional training is substantiated. Strategic directions for updating the content of educational programs are outlined, including the introduction of new disciplines (artificial intelligence, DevOps, Big Data, UI/UX design), strengthening practical components through dual education, internships, and project-based activities. The necessity of digitalizing the educational environment of professional pre-higher institutions, improving the qualifications of teaching staff, involving IT companies in the training process, and creating educational-professional partnerships is emphasized. The importance of implementing individualized educational trajectories to meet students’ learning needs and professional interests is underlined.