Professions
Higher and secondary education in Russia
What is a PTU?
Which professions used to be popular in Russia, and which are popular now?
Paid and free education in Russia
In Russia, as in other countries, there are a great number of professions. Of course, to have a profession one must first study. Russia has compulsory secondary education — children study at school for eleven years, from the age of six to seventeen years old. Thereafter, they have to choose a profession. Many young people enter institutes of higher education to get a university education. Others enter colleges and specialized schools to get a secondary specialized education. The «ПТУ» (PTU) system of vocational schools where young people may acquire a profession (such as that of a lathe operator, metalworker, seamstress or cook) was widely developed in the USSR. Lately though, the number of these vocational schools has decreased and Russia has encountered a deficiency in highly skilled workers.
Students study at institutes of higher education from five to six years depending on their specialty. There are three kinds of courses: daytime courses, night courses, and correspondence courses. During their studies at state institutes and universities, students who are successful in their examinations receive a state grant, which is, however, not very large. Formerly, education was free throughout all of Russia, but lately a good number of commercial institutes and universities have appeared, as well as commercial departments at state institutions.
The most famous and popular universities offering the widest education in both joint and specialized fields are the Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU) and the St. Petersburg State University. Of course, the majority of Russian institutes and universities are located in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and young people from all over the country travel there to study. But there are also a great number of universities, institutes, and vocational schools in other cities of Russia. Education has always been a very important feature of life for Russians, and it has been considered one of the best in the world.
It should be noted that in Russia the most respected professions have always been medicine, teaching, and the military. But now the situation has changed somewhat, and the most popular professions have become business, law, and economy. Many new careers have also appeared: manager, stylist, interior designer, and producer.
Lately, more and more private schools, high schools and colleges have appeared in Russia, but they are accessible only to a small portion of the population. Wealthy people will often even send their children abroad to study, usually somewhere in Europe.
In Russia as well, a man with one profession will guite often work in another, so there are different questions for asking about profession in the Russian language: “What is your profession?” and “What do you do for a living?” (or “Where do you work?”). Often, you will hear an answer such as, “I’m an economist, but I work as a math teacher at school.”
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