COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT OF CIVIL SERVANTS IN THE CONTEXT OF PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY FORMATION

Abstract

The socio-economic development of a country largely depends on the level of professional competencies of civil servants, who constitute the foundation of society’s managerial potential. In modern conditions, they act not only as implementers of managerial decisions but also as an important organizational and motivational resource for modernization transformations in Ukraine. Their activities directly affect the effectiveness of state policy, the stability of socio-economic processes, and the quality of interaction between the state and society. In the context of digitalization, public administration reform, and the need for post-war recovery, the demand for developing innovative professional competencies among civil servants is increasing. Professionalism includes not only knowledge and skills but also value-based and motivational characteristics of an individual, orientation toward public outcomes, and responsibility for the decisions made. Its most important manifestation is the professional identity of civil servants, which is formed through the acceptance of public service values. Professional identity is not static; it is formed in the course of professional activity and is closely linked to the level of competency development. Therefore, without the systematic development of professional competencies, it is impossible to ensure the effective formation of the professional identity of civil servants, which directly influences the efficiency of their work. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the relationship between the development of professional competencies of civil servants and the formation of their professional identity in the context of modernization of the public administration system.