Professional selection at the university as a means for improving the quality of engineers training

Higher professional education is a social factor of labor productivity. The article considers some problems in training engineers on the example of the mechanical engineering. Russia is one of the world leaders in the number of trained engineers, while the Russian industry is in dire need of qualified engineering personnel. Based on the statistical data, the author shows that 40 % of graduates do not work in their specialty, and 30 % of students do not complete their studies; as a result, half of engineering specialties’ students do not connect their careers with engineering. The author argues that such an insufficient professional selection during the period of study at universities is determined by per capita financing, practices of “saving the contingent” and a student-oriented strategy in Russian universities. Thus, it is necessary to return some elements of the Soviet higher education system by abandoning per capita financing and a student-oriented strategy.