University student as a subject of continuing education: readiness for additional and further professional education

the article discusses the inclusion of university students into additional and further professional education system as a necessary condition for the development of continuing education. The author describes the initial results of a comprehensive study carried out at the Laboratory of Continuing Education (Petrozavodsk State University) in 2013−2015. The main research methods include: questionnaire among second-, third- and fourth-year students at Petrozavodsk State University (1509 students); focus groups (3 groups, 16 students); interviews with senior students of the Philology Faculty at Petrozavodsk State University (48 students). The inclusion of students into additional and further professional education system is a multi-factor process. A conscious choice, maturity of ideas about future professional activities, set of competencies for the analysis and forecasting of the labour market situation in the selected professional field play an important role. The analysis of written and oral surveys revealed the lack of students’ readiness for continuing education. Choosing an occupation at the stage of professional self-determination and the ability to recognize oneself as a subject of education are important to develop the readiness for continuing education. The study revealed a lack of awareness of chosen working activities as well as of the nature and possibilities of additional and further professional education programs. The survey results show that most respondents do not have an idea of how to expand their main education through additional programs. The nature of certain responses allows the author to state an insufficient development of learning skills among students and low ability to manage their own learning process. An ability to assess their educational results and design further educational routes considering future professional tasks are poorly developed as well. Not only the students but also universities have little understanding of modern students’ professional needs. There is a need for a systematic approach to solving problems.