The article emphasizes the problem of developing the conceptual bases of training specialists for application of digital technologies in professional activities, and the urgent need to review the content and means of building the graduates’ professional competencies in terms of digital technology mastering for professional self-development. The aim of the article is to consider modern approaches to the interpretation of the phenomenon of a specialist’s readiness for professional activity, to study the features, content and structure of the readiness of future specialists in the socionomic area for application of digital technologies in professional activities, as well as to highlight the stages of building this complex personal formation in the professional training of students of socionomic specialities. In the study, the set of theoretical research methods has been used, in particular, semantic and content analysis of the main categories, generalization and systematization of existing approaches to the interpretation of the “readiness for professional activity: concept, modelling of the structure of readiness of future specialists in the socionomic area to application of digital technologies in professional activities. Based on the analysis of existing definitions within the framework of person-oriented, phenomenological, cultural and competence approaches, it was found out that this kind of readiness is a holistic characteristic of future specialists, which encompasses the unity of knowledge, abilities, and skills of the creative use of digital technologies in the humanitarian field in the future professional activity. This phenomenon is defined as a complex of types of readiness, which in their interconnection and interdependence ensure building crucial competencies of the Industry 4:0 era in future specialists of the socionomic area including digital competence, social competence and soft skills. The components of the studied readiness and their features are described in view of the specificity of socionomic professions. The personal-motivational component covers the general professional orientation of future specialists in the socionomic area in their life self-realization context, as well as specific characteristics causing a positive attitude towards the use of digital technologies for personal self-development and optimization of all professional activities. The content-procedural component focuses on the creation, adaptation and application of means and tools of the electronic information environment used for the purpose of personal and professional self-development and career advancement. The creative-communicative component emphasizes the productive, creative and effective organization of professional interaction and communication via modern ICT. The stages of creating this complex personal quality in the professional training process of students of socionomic specialities have been highlighted. Such stages are, first and foremost, the formation of readiness to choose a profession, then readiness for study and professional activities to master the profession, and finally - readiness to perform professional activities with the use of digital technologies and tools. The prospects for further research are the search for factors and the modelling of the methodology of training future specialists in the socionomic area for application of digital technologies in professional activities.
