In the study current state of professional development of labor force in Russia is investigated. The analysis of coverage of employees of organiza-tions list structure of by various kinds of vocational training in the context of branches and types of activity and categories of personnel has been carried out. Insufficient active participation of agriculture in vocational education of workers in the conditions of its orientation to import substitution is noted. On the basis of carried-out analysis the following problems of professional development of labor force are revealed: insufficient level of coverage of employees with vocational training; inadequacy of the scope of professional training to the goals of ensuring import substitution, the growth of labor productivity and transition to a new technological level of development; un-even coverage of payroll staff by vocational training in the context of indus-tries and activities; insufficient level of participation in supplementary edu-cation programs; inadequate training of employees at the risk of being fired; underutilization of the possibilities of modern distance educational technologies in teaching; insufficient active participation of employers in professional development of their staff. The need of application of strategic approach for vocational education and development of the personnel is not-ed. Practical importance consists in the possibility of application of received results of the research in practice in the course of development and imple-mentation of programs of professional development of employees.