Abstract:

Immediacy of the problem of forming professional potential of future engineers is determined by challenges of upcoming industry 4.0 as well as by the need to adequately providing current personnel demands of regional economy. Issues of staffing are particularly acute in the old industrial regions of Russia, where the processes of new industrialization are combined with the re-industrialization of the traditional sector structure of industry.

The Sverdlovsk region is the largest old industrial region of the country, which accounts for more than 40% of industrial output in the country. In accordance with the Bologna Declaration, a transition was made to the level training of engineers. In educational practice are introducing new models of engineering education (CDIO) aimed at implementing a competence approach, developing new educational programs, developing project training technologies and partnership with the largest regional employers.

The main task of authors is to identify the problems and contradictions in formation and development of professional potential of future engineers in the context of the ongoing of engineering education reform and innovative development of the regional economy.

The empirical base of the study was the results of an expert survey of representatives of the largest industrial enterprises in the Urals region and the seventh stage (2016) of sociological monitoring of students of leading regional universities that train specialists in a technical profile (N = 730). Interpretation of the data was carried out within the framework of a methodological concept that defines the structure of professional potential in the aggregate of three components - resource (a set of available properties and qualities that determine the possibility of further professional development), intentional (readiness to implement professional competencies) and updated (actualization of available abilities and needs, their practical use).

Evaluation of the resource characteristics of professional potential reflects the weak pre-university preparation of entrants. The mass accessibility of engineering education, which in the aggregate with low educational start, neutralizes professional motives for selection of applicants entering to program of engineering training. Study of the phenomenon of a working student shows that primary professional experience is not related to the obtaining specialty. Overall satisfaction of students with the quality of education is associated with low assessments of such aspects of preparation as the connection of acquired knowledge with future profession, organization of work experience internship and engaging of students in research activities. Awareness of the discrepancy between the level of professional training and requirements of employers affects to intentional aspect of professional potential - the unwillingness of a significant part of students to work in their specialties after graduation.

The results of the expert survey showed that there is a serious gap between the desired at production and presence competencies of graduates of technical specialties, which causes the risk of a growing contradiction between the demand and the supply for a new generation of professional cadres.

Keywords:

Students, engineering education, professional potential, sociological monitoring, institutional risks.