The professional self-determination in the modern educational environment is very important. The opportunities for pupils to choose from the aspect of global society and working environment are closely related not only to the awareness of one’s own strengths and the understanding about their applying in different professional fields, but also to the challenge presented by this age, to the understanding and acceptance of needs, integrating into the labour market in the future perspective. The aim of the article is to substantiate the concept ‘self-determination’ within the context of career development. Research methods: theoretical studies, analysis and evaluation of scientific literature and normative documentation. Professional self-determination develops in cycles in different periods of a human life, therefore that during relatively constant 1950-1980ies ensured foreseeable development of a life cycle, during 1990ies and at the beginning of the 21st century becomes a variable, because the changing conditions of global education and working environment determine that professional self-determination is important for an individual is important at different periods of life for gaining insight into own interests, abilities and needs, suitability for professional environment, professional affiliation or identity and future educational and working environment. Nowadays it is topical to facilitate the formation of the system for the career support at educational establishments, which, when evaluating existing resources, their potential and weaknesses, as well as possibilities and challenges of the development of sustainable society, could implement the conception of the local scale career support system, which would provide long-term return and as a result of the implementation of which there would be facilitated the professional self-determination of young people. 

Abstract. Graduation is the time when youth have to make important decisions and choose what they want to do after the school, which profession they want to acquire, in which professional field they want to work. This is the first stage of the professional self-determination as the professional self-determination and career selfmanagement is a life-long process. For the purpose of this research an empirical study was performed with an aim to explore the professional self-determination of 12th grade pupils in the establishments of general secondary education, especially focusing attention on engineering professions. For the theoretical and methodological basis of the research the results of theoretical studies in the following directions were used: 1) Self-Determination and Professional Self-Determination; 2) Career Management and Self-Management; 3) Professional Directionality of Personality; 4) Career Guidance, including Career Guidance System at School. Research methods: test for the determination of the professional directionality. Both results of the descriptive and the inferential statistics show that in both schools where the study was carried out there is a profound discrepancy between I want and I am able aspects in the self-assessment of pupils in relation to their future profession.