The word "specialty" comes from the Latin "specialis", which translates as "special". The meaning of the profession is often confused with the concepts of the profession or the direction of training. We will understand the definitions in more detail.
Specialty concept
A specialty is a branch of science or technology, as well as a set of knowledge, skills, abilities acquired through training, preparation and work experience within a profession. A specialty is the possession of certain competencies of a certain occupation.
Specialties vary in level of professional education:
- average;
- higher.
Training programs, their structure and requirements for faculties and specialties are approved by the Ministry of Education and Science under the Federal State Educational Standards (GEF). The modern system of higher education in Russia includes 648 specialties, which are combined in 28 groups. The system of secondary specialized education provides training in 259 specialties, combined in 26 groups.
Difference from profession and training
In colloquial speech, a specialty may mean a profession, for example: "My son is a programmer by profession." This refers to the profession. However, the difference lies in the fact that the concept of a profession is broader and may include a group of several specialties, that is, this is the direction of the work of a person with the necessary knowledge and skills.
Example: the profession of a programmer includes such specialties as web-programmer, computer security, business informatics, software engineering, information systems and technologies.
In addition, there is a formal difference - you can master a profession yourself (builder, writer, programmer), and to get a specialty you need to go through training, pass exams and get a supporting document (diploma, certificate).
The direction of preparation is an enlarged association of specialties of an educational institution, which is regulated by the Federal State Educational Standard. Example:
Direction 38.03.02 “Management” includes training in the following specialties:
- “Financial and investment management”.
- "Marketing and innovation project management."
- “Economics and management at the enterprise”.
Classifier of specialties
To ensure the exchange of data between government departments in the field of education, the All-Russian Classifier of Specialties was created. Tasks of the OKSO:
- regulation of licensing of educational activities;
- conducting statistical analysis;
- accounting and information processing;
- regulation of the level of training of graduates in Russia in accordance with international standards.
Each specialty according to OKCO has its own code of the form: xxxxxx, where:
- the first two characters correspond to an enlarged group of training areas;
- the second two characters are the direction numbers;
- the fifth and sixth character means the group's specialty number.
For example, some specialties of universities:
270112 - Water supply and sanitation.
160203 - Production of aircraft.
060112 - Medical biochemistry.
070204 - Directing the theater.
040201 - Sociology.
140501 - Internal combustion engines.
210407 - Operation of communications.
150102 - Metallurgy of non-ferrous materials.
Typology
There is a division according to the system of human interaction with the outside world and acquired specialty. This typology is as follows:
1. Man is man. Professions of this type are aimed at working with other people:
- healthcare (paramedic, doctor, nurse);
- jurisprudence (lawyer);
- education (psychologist, teacher, educator).
2. Man is a living nature. The type of activity is aimed at the study of flora and fauna, care and maintenance, the creation of new species:
- forest science;
- agronomy;
- veterinary medicine;
- soil science;
- ecology.
3. Man is a technique. The specialty of this group includes everything related to machinery, machines, equipment:
- installation, adjustment and repair (locksmith, adjuster);
- transport management (driver);
- metallurgy, mechanical engineering (technologist);
- aircraft industry (technician, engineer).
4. Man is a sign system. Here are the specialties associated with various symbols, signs, calculations:
- programming;
- economics (accountants, estimates);
- linguistics (translators, publishers, editors).
5. Man is culture. This includes any creative profession related to the broadcast or creation of any artistic values:
- fine art (artists, designers);
- architecture (designer, restorer);
- musical art (academic singing, folk singing);
- choreographic art.
Getting
Training and assignment of a specialty is the competence of the following educational institutions:
- colleges;
- technical schools;
- academy;
- institutes;
- universities.
Colleges and technical schools are secondary specialized educational institutions. Academies, institutes and universities to higher educational institutions. Some institutes may be part of a university. All universities must have a license to conduct educational activities. In order to have the right to issue diplomas in the specialties, the educational institution must undergo their accreditation.
The most popular specialties
In 2018, according to the public service for labor and employment, the list of the most popular specialties included:
- Manufacturing Engineer.
- IT specialist.
- Robot.
- Architect.
- Design engineer.
- Web designer.
- Agricultural engineer.
- Marketer, Internet marketer.
- Designer.
- PR specialist.
Promising specialties in the next 5-7 years include:
- Bioethic.
- Genetic consultant.
- Eco-analyst in construction.
- Medical Robot Designer
- Information Systems Architect.
- Creative trainer.