The core mission of applied undergraduate institutions is to cultivate high-caliber professionals who meet the practical needs of regional socioeconomic development. This orientation imposes specific requirements on the training of education majors. Currently, most applied undergraduate institutions still adhere to traditional academic training frameworks for education majors, resulting in prominent issues such as a disconnect between talent output and grassroots education demands, as well as insufficient development of practical competencies. In light of this, the article examines the diversified needs of educational positions, elucidates the importance of talent cultivation in applied undergraduate institutions’ education majors, systematically analyzes existing challenges in education major training, and proposes targeted practical approaches. It aims to provide actionable strategies and theoretical support for applied undergraduate institutions to overcome training dilemmas and enhance the quality of talent development.