“Russia is my horizons”: it has become easier for schoolchildren to understand the world of professional skills

Modern Russian education cannot exist without a look into the future. And in the future of schoolchildren there is a huge choice of professions, which is not so easy for a child to understand. The career guidance course “Russia is my horizons,” which was launched for students in grades 6–11, will help with this. By visiting it, it is much easier for a teenager to navigate the world of professional skills. A unified model of career guidance is part of the formation of a unified educational environment, which is now being created in schools.

Exciting “after-hours”

The “Russia – My Horizons” course, which is held in all schools on Thursdays (34 hours in total), is a so-called extracurricular activity, and a very exciting one at that.

– What does “Russia – my horizons” mean? The name is actually very symbolic,” explains Olga Smirnova, a specialist in career guidance for schoolchildren. – This means, on the one hand, the vastness and versatility of our country, its diversity, the inexhaustible opportunities that it provides to the younger generation. On the other hand, this is the horizon in the sense of “the future of the student.” At first, this line is barely noticeable and only begins to emerge, expressed in the form of the child’s interest, curiosity, his inclinations and natural inclinations. Step by step, with the help of career guidance classes, the teenager begins to see this horizon more and more clearly. And now he clearly understands what he wants in this life, what his goals are: “I’m interested in medicine,” “I’m interested in painting,” and so on. Having this understanding, it is easier to move on – to choosing a university.

Children – about the professions of the future

The course materials “Russia – My Horizons,” which every teacher now has thanks to the single site “Ticket to the Future,” reveal in detail and from different angles the characteristics of certain professions. In addition, they show the importance and relevance of a variety of specialties in the modern world. And not only well-known ones, but also those that the child may not yet know about – new, so-called professions of the future.

For example, in November one of the topics of the “Russia – My Horizons” lesson was: “Genetic engineering, growing organs and unusual specialties in medicine.” Teachers were asked to focus on two of three areas: medicine, medical rehabilitation or genetics. This was the second part of the “Russia in Action” lesson. Teachers could devote the first to such professional areas (to choose from) as import substitution, aircraft construction, shipbuilding, navigation or the forestry industry.

In the same month, the children were told about a profession whose name can confuse even an adult: IT specialist – Data Science. Don’t know this one? But modern schoolchildren now know.

“If you ask whether such activities are beneficial, I will say: definitely yes,” says 9th grade student Angelina from Crimea. – We discussed future admission with friends during the summer holidays. Most people really have a mess in their heads: they have no idea where to go after school. The boys were for IT, but we girls mostly talked about medicine. But after several lessons on career guidance, I realized that I shouldn’t focus on what’s on the surface. Now I am interested in the field of maritime cargo logistics. I think this is both interesting and relevant.

Useful tools

“Of the tools of this career guidance project, I would especially note the usefulness of the “constructor of the future,” which is presented on the federal website,” shares Maria, a young teacher from Chelyabinsk. – Thanks to him, it’s easy for me to plan a lesson and structure it in such a way that every child finds it interesting. Recently, for example, I conducted the “My Talents” diagnostic recommended by experts for children. She asked them to remember 5-7 talents and think about what professions they could be used in. The schoolchildren did this in the form of large bright posters, divided into several groups. Each one had its own result. Of course, understanding what abilities and skills are needed in a particular profession, it is easier to talk about choice.

Let us emphasize once again that “Russia is my horizons” is only part of the entire large-scale work that is now being carried out in modern schools in the direction of career guidance for children. In addition to the fact that pre-profile classes are organized, students are offered tests, meetings with representatives of different professions, excursions to enterprises, universities, watching videos and much more. In general, in a modern school a child will not be allowed to get confused and will be helped to make the right choice.

Photo: Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation