The article is devoted to the problem of formation and development of research competencies, which, according to the authors, are necessary for the successful professional activity of a teacher of secondary vocational education. The purpose of the article is to identify the lack of research competencies among teachers of vocational training and determine the direction of development of research activities (RA) in the field of secondary vocational education. In order to achieve this goal, a survey was conducted using an online survey developed based on GoogleForms tools, and methods of statistical processing of research data were applied. The article presents the structure and types of research activities of a teacher of secondary vocational education, the results of an empirical study that allowed us to assess the degree of formation of professional competencies of teachers and their readiness to implement the RA. The authors offer practical recommendations for filling the deficit of research competencies in teachers of vocational training.