The quality of agricultural engineering education and the ability to innovation activity determine the prestige and competitiveness of universities, the possibility to attract intellectual and material resources and therefore to create the necessary conditions for training of agricultural engineering personnel. An analysis of workforce needs shows that manufacturing enterprises need specialists with a high level of practical skills. Universities are trying to cancel for this effect by implementing practical aspects of agricultural engineering education as a basic criterion for acquisition of general professional and professional competencies. The competencies of graduates of agricultural engineering direction have been determined on the basis of the analysis of existing methods of education, the modern state of technologies and equipment of the agro-industrial complex. They require strengthening of practical training in the process of education. It has been experimentally confirmed that the possibility of obtaining additional working professions during the training period not only strengthens the practical component, but also contributes to increasing interest and general motivation to improve professional skills. A training methodology has been developed. It has been tested on the disciplines "Perspective Geometry. Engineering Graphics" and "Material Science and Construction Material Technology" based on the application of practical-oriented forms of interactive training in the form of round tables, master classes and trainings. The methodology is recommended for wide application in universities of the system of agrarian education of the Russian Federation in the field of education 35.03.06 "Agricultural engineering". Research prospects are conditioned by the need to continue programs in the sections of the disciplines "Mechanics", "Metrology, Standardization and Certification", "Machine Elements and Principles of Design" and extension of the present experience within the framework of international cooperation.