Professional training programs at colleges are in need of improvement in order to adapt to the ever-changing labor market. The article considers the relevant issues on the example of the Tomsk polytechnic university. Special attention is paid to the most efficient way of increasing the quality of training, namely by instituting continuous external control and evaluation of educational programs by national and international professional communities. The authors analyze the changes in the structure and content of educational programs so that they conform to national and international criteria for social and professional accreditation. The creation and certification of a quality management system at the college that would conform to international standards is also discussed. The authors analyze in detail the Bachelor’s degree program in electrical engineering, which is based on the university’s best traditions of engineering training.