This article examines the features of the transformation of professional preferences of high school students in Kazakhstan in a market society.

The problems that exist in the field of training young specialists are largely associated with ignoring the requirements of a market society, and the insufficiency of full-scale career guidance work. The fundamental socio-economic, political changes taking place in Kazakhstan have led to a change in the ideology of modern education. In the modern educational process, knowledge of the essence of the individual, his needs, interests, and motives of activity play an important role. Currently, work on the formation of professional preferences of schoolchildren, the profiling of education is carried out in the upper grades of secondary school. The main emphasis is on the conscious choice by high school students of their future profession. The professional orientation of a high school student is aimed at identifying his personal characteristics, abilities and performs a number of functions that are useful for society and the individual.