Professional identification of pedagogical university graduates

Introduction. The paper is devoted to the problem of interrelation between professional identification and work motivation of pedagogical university graduates. The purpose of the study is to reveal the interrelation between the indicators of professional identification and the types of students’ work motivation. Materials and Methods. The study is based on the following methodological approaches: system, activity, competence, information, process and axiological. These approaches have allowed the authors to consider the problem within the framework of initial teacher education. Therefore, the level of formation of professional competencies is considered as significant. The study explores professional identification of pedagogical university graduates using such research methods as analysis, synthesis, comparison and generalization; as well as the following methodologies: the methodology of studying the status of professional identity, the questionnaire of professional inclinations, the questionnaire of professional readiness, and the methodology of professional motivation. The degree of interrelation between the indicators of professional identification and the types of graduates’ work motivation was determined using the Pearson correlation criterion. The study involved 735 graduates of South Ural State Humanitarian Pedagogical University. Results. The results of the study revealed that students of South Ural State Humanitarian Pedagogical University deliberately chose the path of professional development. More than a third of the respondents are inclined to work with people, which is significant for such professional fields as management, education and training; they are also inclined to planning and economic activities, requiring consistency and accuracy. The majority of the surveyed demonstrated high levels of professional readiness, corresponding to the "person-person" professional type. Correlation analysis has shown high indicators of professional identification, which are characterized by positive external motivation. It indicates that students are oriented towards achieving social prestige, receiving social guarantees and money earnings. External negative motivation of pedagogical university graduates is associated with rigid work organization and work regulations. The factor, contributing to successful and conscious professional identification of pedagogical university graduates, is the educational space of the university, which is a complex scientific and practical system. Conclusions. The authors confirmed the hypothesis of the study that there is a correlation between pedagogical university graduates’ professional identification and types of their work motivation. It is established that high indicators of professional identification are associated with positive external motivation of senior full-time students at South Ural State Humanitarian Pedagogical University. Low indicators of professional identification are associated with graduates’ ideas of their professional readiness: uncertainty, negative experience of work placements, and negative external influence.