The profile of interests and creative potential of high school students in new regions of Russia as prerequisites for the development of regional human resources

Abstract

One of the priority directions in the socio-economic development of the Russian Federation is the establishment of a sustainable and competitive personnel training system. This is particularly relevant for the newly incorporated regions of Russia, which require modernization of infrastructure, education, and governance. Accordingly, diagnosing the professional interests and abilities of high school students – at the stage of selecting their educational and career trajectories – acquires special importance. This article presents an empirical study on the professional interests and level of creative thinking among high school students from the new regions of Russia. The study employed G. Davis’s method to assess creative abilities and the Questionnaire of Professional Preferences (L. A. Yovaisha, modified by G. Rezapkina). Significant differences by gender were revealed: male participants more often demonstrated research and practical interests, while females showed aesthetic interests. The research findings confirm the importance of a personalized approach to career guidance, taking into account gender differences. Furthermore, it is necessary to strengthen support for research and technical fields among females. The level of creative thinking was comparable between both sexes. Most participants expressed an interest in social professions. This indicates a high social potential of the younger generation and its inclination towards professions related to communication, education, healthcare, and social services. The strong interest of school students in socially oriented activities underscores the importance of developing personnel for pedagogy, medicine, psychology, management, and other “people-centered” professions. This aspect is especially relevant for new regions experiencing a severe shortage of specialists in these fields. The findings will contribute to developing the future human resources potential of the new regions and may inform career guidance programs, educational trajectories, and regional human resources policies.