Innovations of the current admission campaign to universities of the republic touched upon the issues of securing talented youth, assistance to regional universities, optimization of examination procedures in the "educational vertical". In general, this is perceived quite positively by the expert community and society. It is noted, however, that it is important to study other problematic aspects of the higher education system in the framework of training qualified motivated specialists. The issues of professional suitability can be considered as key aspects of this.
In fact, according to the estimates of young specialists of the Vitebsk region, the main reason (more than 43%) for the low retention of personnel after obligatory working (and sometimes termination of obligatory working in a variety of ways) and, in general, "retention in the profession" is a rash choice of specialty or disappointment in it. As a result, significant funds spent on training are "dissipated", since after "immersion in the profession" many leave not only their jobs, but also their chosen field of activity, which leads to a "washout" of personnel, creates difficulties with the formation of a layer of experienced specialists in the industry.
This indicates the insufficiency of career guidance and practical training as the main sources of formation of future specialists' ideas about the profession. In this regard, there is a need to assess the motivational preferences of school graduates, their readiness to master a certain profession, understanding its content, the pros and cons of a particular professional activity (especially in the specialties of medical, pedagogical and veterinary profile).
A partial solution to this problem may be developing the practice of specialized classes, which have proven themselves quite well in pedagogical and agricultural profiles. Students have time to understand the "fundamentals of reality" of the profession and approach the entrance campaign with a more deliberate position. In 2023, more than 400 students graduated from classes (groups) of the pedagogical profile. Every sixth continued his/her studies in the region according to the profile, having entered the P.M.Masherov Vitebsk State University (graduates of pedagogical classes occupy about 12% of the university's enrollment for budget places), some of them replenish the ranks of applicants of M.Tank Belarusian State Pedagogical University.
It is expedient to develop and implement other formats of professional selection of future applicants with the involvement of universities. The experience of volunteer work of senior school students (as technical staff, assistant medical worker, etc.) in medical institutions, which is practiced, for example, in Germany as a form of career guidance, has proven itself well in this direction. This can be extended to other industries. This approach is a good opportunity to assess in practice the potential of each applicant.