Pre-professional geography training in the professional self-determination of students (the case of the Kaliningrad region)

Geography as a school subject is able to effectively solve the problems of preprofessional training of students. To do this, it is necessary for the student to become a subject of activity involved in building his or her own individual educational trajectory and choosing a future professional career. The article substantiates that the group form of a popular science lectures "Geographical School" is the most effective and accessible format of professional orientation in the field of geography. The career guidance work of specialists of the Geographical School is considered as a priority area of activity to attract schoolchildren (future applicants) to specialties of geographical and natural science profile. In the constantly changing conditions of the modern educational process, considering the annual changes in the rules of admission to higher educational institutions, potential applicants should clearly and competently navigate in the areas of training for both higher and secondary vocational education; from an early age they should get an idea of the specialty they choose. The activity of specialists of the Geographical School is aimed at actively promoting and forming early profile and pre-profile self-determination of students of secondary and secondary vocational educational institutions, to increase the degree of success of their future professional activities. The results of the analysis indicate that there are great opportunities for additional geographical education in the professional self-determination of schoolchildren, expressed in a practice-oriented, geography-based use of the potential of extracurricular activities, a creative approach to the learning process.