The Structure Of Socio-Cultural Competence (Self) Development

Abstract Sociocultural competences are becoming increasingly important and significant in terms of employability, career, competitive abilities. Acquired and developed throughout one’s lifetime, sociocultural competences create favourable conditions for successful survival and functioning in contemporary labour market. Effective teaching of methods of socialization is impossible without making an effort to conceptualize the key elements of culture in younger people’s consciousness: principles of choice of values, basics of creativity, language, ethnos, art. The research aims at revealing the characteristics and orientations of formation of sociocultural competence that are characteristic of the VET processes. The following research methods have been used for the research: descriptive analysis of research sources and documents. Sociocultural competences manifest themselves in the processes of vocational education and training as a set of various abilities necessary for personal and professional life. Formation of sociocultural competences by teaching and learning in VET system is characterized by features based on value dimensions of the life of society and person: social skills (skills of communication, socialization and team work); social perception (skills of societal interpretation by proper choice of behaviour depending on social environment and situation); self-awareness (ability of performing analysis of own emotional state and helping other person perceive oneself and own emotions); attribution (ability to implement own potential in a social environment and analyse social roles); communication with peers (ability to adapt in a new environment by perceiving the attitudes that exist in it); cultural sensitivity (ability to understand and accept people from other sociocultural backgrounds, maintaining strong position when facing discriminatory actions); cultural awareness (ability to evaluate cultural differences and perceive and accept other person’s attitudes and opinion); cultural knowledge (ability to communicate with people diplomatically, taking into account cultural differences).