Development of existential aspects of professional competence of penitentiary system prospective employees

The paper discusses the problem of professional competence of penitentiary system employees. The author says that employees of the penal system should be ready for the challenges of the vital and professional way. The author defines existential aspect as part of holistic professional competence. Existential setting is included in the existential aspect of professional competence. Existential setting is defined as readiness of a future specialist for self-development and self-improvement. Existential setting is a spiritual resource of a person. Existential setting helps to maintain interest in the professional activity of penitentiary system employee in difficult situations. Existential setting is formed in the process of reflection development. The paper considers forms of educational work: existential dialogue, essays, solution of situational problems. The author gives a brief description of these forms of work and specific examples. The paper contains indicators of effectiveness: students’ interest in the spiritual side of life as well as in problems of the meaning of life and professional activities.