Abstract. Nowadays, there is a great demand for engineers in various fields of specialization. This brings up the question whether it is determined by the fact that, due to various reasons, higher education institutions do not train a sufficient number of the demanded specialists, or the reason is that the specialists (engineers) trained are not able to compete, as they do not meet the demands of the society, job market (including the employers) and the professional environment. This issue determines the topicality of theoretical and empirical investigation of the competitiveness of engineers. The aim of this report is to provide a theoretical basis for the competitiveness of engineers and the possibilities of its promotion in terms of various aspects. The results of theoretical researches confirm that pedagogical and psychological science validates the competitiveness of engineers in terms of three aspects: the competitiveness of a personality; the competitiveness of a specialist in the broad sense of the term; the competitiveness of an engineer with the focus on the engineering specialization in the engineering science. It is not only important to study the competitiveness of an engineer, but also to provide a scientific background for possible methods, which could be used to promote the competitiveness during the process of education and professional growth based on modern learning theories and concepts.Keywords: engineer competitiveness, marketability, employability, competence. IntroductionContemporary social sciences, including pedagogy and psychology, carry out researches in the field of competitiveness. The topicality of such studies is determined by the inconsistency of globalization and globalization processes and their influence over sustainable development and competitiveness of the society. The more competitive each member of the society is, the more competitive is the society as such. The same can be told about the competitiveness of any enterprise. The fact that a person is self-developing both as a personality and as a specialist along with the environment of his or her life and professional activity means that this interaction is mutual, i.e., not only the competitiveness of each society or enterprise is determined by the competitiveness of each individual person, but the constantly changing social and professional environment is also impacting the competitive ability of each person substantially.Nowadays, there is a great demand for engineers in various fields of specialization. This brings up the question whether it is determined by the fact that due to various reasons higher education institutions do not train a sufficient number of demanded specialists, or the reason is that the specialists (engineers) trained are not able to compete, as they do not meet the demands of the society, job market (including the employers) and the professional environment. This issue determines the topicality of theoretical and empirical investigation of the competitiveness of engineers.The aim of this article is...

M. McCrindledetermined generation borders and defined them sociologically.A lot of answers were found out about the peculiarities of nowadays students initiating changes in the study process at a higher school and education in general. The aim of the article is to assess the findings of generation theories and to analyze the opportunities of their implementation in higher education, and particularly in engineering studies. Cultural, historical, technological differences and their cross-influenceare analysed in the article in the context typical for each generation. Particular attention is paid to Generation Zbelonging students' habits and values. It is stressed in the article that Generation's Z challenges will be life in a dinamically changing world with various catastrophies, ecological and demographic crises, development of IT, including artificial intelligence as well as opportunities to choose the form of work (distance, at any time, regular). One of the main tasks of Generation Z will be to take complex decisions and solve problems for dynamically changing uncertain future. Therefore, a study at Jelgava Secondary School No. 5 had been carried out. The survey reflected answers of 55 respondents on motives of the choice of a profession and work values. 77 Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LLU) first year engineering students' survey was done on their spending time in the Internet, relations with authoritarian teachers and expression of ideas freely.41educators of the LLUparticipated in the study analysing their strong and weak sides, opportunities and threats in relation to Generation Z. Studies had been done in the period from 2016 to 2018. Considering the theoretical and empirical results recommendations for the improvement of engineering studies were worked out.

<p>The article deals with the problem of the support of a higher education institution for the new teachers. The professional development is a complex and time-consuming processof a personality’s self-perfection, self-development and self-training. The process of professional development begins with the obtaining of a diploma. The success in the professional activities and the progress in making a career depend on a person him/herself in various aspects. However, irrespective of the fact that a beginning teacher has the experience of practice, when starting professional activities in the respective working environment, he/she faces situations that demand immediate solution of a problem, but there is not always a person beside a beginning teacher, who could provide support regarding dealing with a particular situation and making a decision. The support, provided by a higher education institution, when a new teacher starts working, is very important. A beginning teacher can use the contacts established at the higher education institution and apply to the university lecturers for assistance.</p>

Living in a society, people cannot avoid communicating with others. Communication accompanies us in all spheres of life. Consequently, it is important to develop our communicative competence over a lifetime. Teacher is one of the professions where communicative competence determines the efficiency of activity. Communicative competence can be developed in various ways. Mediation was introduced in the justice system at the end of the 20th century as a method of dispute solving with the participation of a mediator. In recent years, mediation knowledge and skills are also gradually taking a rightful place in the field of education. Experience acquired during the mediation studies is valuable for the promotion of the communicative competence: knowledge and skills on conflict solving, dialogue maintenance, active listening etc., which helps in creating of positive psychological environment in any organisation (including schools). Consequently, teachers must be able to solve conflict situations, and, which is equally important, to pass on their experience to their colleagues, students and their parents. The aim of the research: based on the results of theoretical researches, to make a survey aimed at finding out the opinion of teachers concerning the importance of the communicative competence in the life quality improvement. 97 % of respondents believe that there is a link between the communicative competence and the quality of life.