MULTI-LEVEL HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE OF PROGRAMMING EDUCATION AT THE INITIAL STAGES

The article addresses current issues in teaching programming at the initial stages of training future IT specialists. An analysis of the current state of job vacancies in the IT sector is conducted, highlighting the high demand for competent developers and the insufficient level of preparation among university graduates. Special attention is given to the role of algorithmization as a fundamental aspect of forming professional competencies of future IT specialists. A multi-level gradient model of education is proposed, including initial, basic, and advanced levels of programming skill acquisition. Within the model, emphasis is placed on the importance of transitioning from academic exercises to practice-oriented tasks to develop students' creative and logical thinking. The necessity of a systematic approach to education, integration of modern pedagogical tools, and automated software systems is underscored.