The article considers the problem of restoring the socio-professional groups of teachers. The purpose of the article is to identify the major contradictions that arise in the process of constructing the professional strategies of pedagogical university students. Features of formation of professional strategies of students are studied in the following areas: the primary motivation for the choice of profession, professional plans, ways to enter the labour market. A retrospective analysis of the motives for the primary professionalization of students of pedagogical universities was conducted.