Recently Russia has shown a growing demand for graduates of vocational schools and growing interest in this kind of higher education among applicants. Such education becomes both profitable and prestigious. During the economic crisis it becomes especially attractive.

Secondary professional education is available after the 9^th and 11^th grade, depending on the form of education (full-time course, evening education, postal course or externship) lasting for 2-3 years. A graduate receives the qualification of a “technician” after having mastered the basic level program, a “senior technician” after having received the advanced training course, and a “technician with additional training” after extended training courses. The basic types of vocational institutions are vocational schools and colleges. The first type majors in basic training and the second type both in basic and advanced training. According to the UNESCO international qualification standards, secondary professional education is given the same status as practice-oriented higher education or pre-university higher education.

Historically this type of education was looked down on in our country. It was believed that those going to get this education weren’t quite capable of studying at a university. Nowadays the situation has changed completely. One of the reasons for this is improvement of the secondary professional education itself, the quality of the teaching staff, the teaching standards and programs. The major difference from higher education is the fact that SPE focuses not only on a specific profession of a much narrower qualification but more often on a specific enterprise. According to statistics, it is the mid-level professionals that are in the highest demand. As a result, the management of companies is trying to select personnel during the training, actively cooperating with colleges and vocational schools and giving the opportunity to practice at their enterprises. Unlike university graduates, vocational school graduates experience no difficulties with employment.

Secondary professional education is the best choice for those school leavers who have failed to choose their profession or university. Having an opportunity to get professional education right after the 9^th grade, they get both a profession, an occupation, a stable salary and an opportunity to try one’s hand in an adult life, in a particular sphere. And if a graduate has decided to continue his education in the same sphere at a university, then he will certainly have an advantage, usually he enters a senior year, because such an applicant has already been trained for receiving professional education, he is familiar with the specifics different from school.

In 2005 secondary professional institutions were handed over to regions. As a result, regional bodies got actively down to the revival and support of secondary professional institutions as an opportunity to implement social programs in a long-term perspective: prevention of youth outflow to big cities, granting an opportunity to receive education near one’s place of residence and get a job with a stable, worthy salary, providing qualified working force for local enterprises. To have its own SPE development program has become a matter of prestige for regions. Thus, even today many Russian regions have colleges and vocational schools of the European standard, fully computerized, with first-rate laboratories and equipment, training programs which totally meet both Russian and international standards. Together with foreign SPE institutions of a similar type they implement partnership programs granting an opportunity to practice abroad. Moscow colleges and vocational schools are planning to introduce the so-called dual educational system. It means that practical classes at an enterprise will be obligatory for all students the same as classroom studies.

Today SPE is rather different from what it used to be 10-15 years ago. Now graduates enjoy more future opportunities to be employed. Moreover, the list of professions which one can receive in a SPE institute has been considerately extended. Training in a college and a vocational school allows both to receive advanced knowledge in a particular profession and to receive an opportunity to continue education in a university. And when entering a higher educational institution those who have already had professional education have priority.