Abstract
For the sustainable socio-economic development of the country within the framework of the "New Kazakhstan" model, it is important to ensure equal social conditions for quality education in urban and rural schools, as well as schools of different specialization. In the field of education in Kazakhstan, not enough attention has been paid to the issue of considering high school students as subjects of professional self-determination. Therefore, the proposed author's research is aimed at comparative analysis and identification of factors contributing to changes in professional preferences of high school students of secondary general education and specialized schools. at the same time, the main issue is the study of regional and gender characteristics of professional cities. The results of the study revealed individual factors that influence the professional preferences of schoolchildren: high salary level (92%); possibility of career growth (89.0%); highly qualified profession, work (53%); profession allows management, management (42.0%); enables self-realization (41.0%); gives high status in society (27.0%). At the same time, it is important in this article to study the regional and gender characteristics of professional choice, the influence of educational inequality on it. The purpose of the work is of high importance both on a national and international scale, which is due to the fact that this study will allow deeper and systematic identification of social problems of the formation of professional preferences of high school students and will suggest ways to solve them. The methodology and tools developed in the work can be used in further practical research on the educational, labor and professional behavior of young people. Research processes of modernization and digitization of economy and education in Kazakhstan, employment policy and support of certain areas of professional and higher education, as well as lived experience of pandemic and online education, value perceptions of students, their families, close social environment and professional It allows us to identify this issue by considering how expectations affect students' professional preferences. Keywords: high school students, profession, healthy choice, professional preferences, professional orientation, , methodology of studying professional tendencies.