Productive professional longevity in the sphere of social services: values and educational needs

Introduction. Pedagogical aspects of achieving productive professional longevity, which are of significant scientific interest, remain understudied due to the difficulty of obtaining primary data. The aim of this study is to identify factors associated with productive professional longevity in social services based on a comparative analysis of the educational trajectories, professional values, and project-based learning activities of employees with outstanding work achievements and at least 20 years of work experience.

Materials and methods. The study utilized phenomenological, integrated, systemic, and conceptual approaches, ensuring the targeted collection, analysis, and interpretation of data characterizing the subjective experiences of continuous education and development among finalists of the All-Russian Competition of Professional Excellence in Social Services. The following methods were used: analysis of theoretical sources, pedagogical expertise, biographical, theoretical, non-participant observation, unstructured interviews, and others. Content analysis was conducted in accordance with the concepts of Schwartz's motivational continuum.

Results. Factors influencing long-term productivity in the social services sector were identified; institutional, exogenous, and endogenous issues related to the imbalance in the development of professional and universal competencies were identified.

Discussion and conclusions. Scientific propositions characterizing the characteristics of educational attainment in adulthood were confirmed; directions for further scientific research in the field of vocational education were substantiated. The practical significance of the study lies in the potential use of its results for developing the educational environment of regional universities in the context of supporting, enhancing, and leveraging the expertise of long-serving professionals in the social services sector.

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