The article is devoted to the problems of formative education in modern vocational education: setting goals and creating conditions for their achievement. The aim of the work is a primary empirical analysis of the reasons for the increased interest in educational activities in modern Russia on the part of various subjects. The conclusions are intermediate and consist in stating the objectives of the upcoming study. The work’s theoretical significance consists of the substantiation of the thesis about the dialectical unity of the intentional and extensional components of education. Of practical value is the characteristic of the features of the modern digital age, within which the educational process in the secondary school is built, and the definition of a set of conditions under which it becomes successful. The article interprets the tasks of education in a new way and defines how to solve them in the context of the social contract, the main participants of which are scientific, pedagogical and practical workers of the SVE system, employers, the state, and the parent community. The work is addressed to the federal and regional authorities in education, the professional-pedagogical and scientific community of SVE.

The article discusses possible characteristics of social and professional self-determination of a person and his pedagogical support in the coming post-industrial world. The main functions of support are described: pedagogical support, professional and educational navigation, career guidance networking. Possible ways of institutional binding and organization of self-determination support in the post-industrial world are presented, the conditions of their availability, quality, effectiveness, as well as possible risks are discussed.

The article is devoted to the professional self-determination of young people and its pedagogical support in the post-industrial world and the related need for new approaches to them. The article presents the results of a comparative analysis of some of these approaches, which have already manifested themselves in the modern educational and careeroriented reality. The assessment of their prospects in the transition to a post-industrial society is given.

Introduction. In recent years, career guidance has become an integral part of formative education. However, it is advisable to consider the guidance of professional self-determination as an independent component, partly distancing itself from formative education. Analysis of students' ideas about the goals, objectives, content, methods, and forms of career guidance in the context of formative education makes it possible to compensate for the lack of knowledge about the formative education potential of career guidance. Aim. To problematise the potential for formative education of career guidance based on the analysis of the results of a study on the effectiveness of career guidance practices and resources for professional self-determination. Methods. This article presents the primary analysis of the generalised data of the first stage (May–June, 2022) of a survey conducted by the Interuniversity Research Group of representatives of The Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, The Federal Education Development Institute of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Moscow State Pedagogical University, Moscow City University, Russian State University of Oil and Gas named after I. M. Gubkin, South Ural State Humanitarian Pedagogical University, Kuzbass Regional Institute for the Development of Vocational Education. The survey involved 3,069 respondents—schoolchildren (about 80 %) and students of colleges and universities aged 14–22 from 62 regions of the Russian Federation. Results. The results of the study reflected the demand of a new generation to have an agency in professional self-determination, putting self-realisation and worthy remuneration as first priority when choosing a profession. The study also made it possible to determine the degree of influence of parents and the digital and external environment for choosing a professional future. Practical significance. The results of the study can be used in planning formative educational and career guidance activities, developing a variable model of effective career guidance practices for inclusion in career guidance programmes at the level of educational organisations and regions.