The article examines the role, essence, and content of the metacognitive approach to the study of problems of formation of the professional identity of the individual social pedagogue. The article substantiates the importance of using the metacognitive approach and the structure of metacognitive knowledge in scientific research. The metacognitive approach defines the reliability criteria of metacognitive knowledge. Based on the metacognitive approach, a content analysis of the level of research into the phenomenon of personal professional identity presented in various scientific discourses is carried out. The analysis of the essence of understanding professional identity in the metacognitive approach, the characteristics of continuity, dynamism, commitment to modern transformation processes, studied in the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary contexts of research in philosophy, sociology, psychology, cognitive sciences, pedagogy is presented. Under conditions of space and personalization that require global responsibility and accountability, a breakthrough in the structuring of the professional identity of the individual is necessary