The thesis deals with the issues of developing vocational self-determination of the secondary school students in the USA. Based on the theoretical and practical analysis of scientific and pedagogical literature, as well as legislative documents on vocational education and career guidance in the USA, the peculiarities of supporting the process of vocational and career counseling of the secondary school students in the USA are outlined; the essences of the notions "vocational self-determination" and "career development" are specified. The experience of forming vocational self-determination and its realization in modern American schools is generalized. Special recommendations on improving the process of vocational self-determination of the secondary school students in Ukraine are designed on the basis of the American practice. It is indicated in the dissertation that a problem of forming of vocational self-determination of schoolchildren is one of the most modern problems in socio-economic situation, however it is investigational enough in pedagogics. Particular interest is caused by foreign experience of forming of vocational self-determination of students in secondary schools of the USA, where the particular interest to the solving of vocational orientation problems is shown. The analysis of scientific sources gives the possibility to assert that vocational self-determination is more frequently searched by the American scientists as the protracted process of balancing and concordance, on the one hand, interests, desires, knowledge and abilities of an individual (self-conception), and on the other - possibilities and requirements of the world of labour and professions (world of professions). The content of this process is conditioned by public values, norms and requirements which are exposed to the permanent changes, and by the development of the newest information technologies. Analysis of the system of professional orientation of students in the USA allows to make a conclusion that in modern American pedagogical science the main peculiarities of professional orientation of students in secondary schools of the USA are: the step character of vocational self-determination and transition variantness from one form to the other; strengthening of private establishments for professional orientation of schoolchildren and connection of their school education with practice; reacting of the system of education on changes in a structure and at the market of labour; using in vocational preparation of students of competential approach; psychological support of process of choice by the students of their future profession in the context of the problem of preparation for the choice of professional career. Monitoring of vocational self-determination of students of secondary school classes is carried out in Ukraine and the USA according to three basic criteria: cognitive, motivational and practical and it is clear that the American schoolchildren know better about the world of different professions, they can firmly choose the own professional future, actively try themselves in the chosen profession. The basic tendencies of vocational self-determination of students are distinguished at high school of the USA, namely: active position of the state on modernization of the system of vocational orientation, introduction of the modern complex programs in the areas of vocational self-determination, bringing in to vocational self-determination of schoolchildren of state and public organizations, searching of optimal variants of solving the problems of concordance of professional interests of students with the state of affairs of the market, expansion of network of professionally-informative centers; purposeful study and account of individual interests, inclinations, capabilities of personality; introduction of the special objects, acquaintance of schoolchildren with the world of modern professions; using of active and interactive forms, methods and technologies of professional orientation; existing in secondary schools of independent career counselors and recommendations are offered for using of positive American experience in practice of Ukrainian schools.
