The authors consider the core of the concept of "technical thinking" and its structure; characterize the specific features of technical thinking (integration, creativeness, efficiency, and reflexivity), which can serve as a tool for diagnosing the effectiveness of technical thinking skills mastered by students during their training; as well as determine the role of technical thinking in the training of engineering specialists. The main methods for developing technical thinking include technical problem solving, projectbased activities, role-playing games, case analysis, brainstorming, morphological analysis, focal object method, and TRIZ methods (the theory of inventive problem solving developed by G. Altshuller), etc. The paper presents findings from research into fostering technical thinking skills in engineering students at Russian State Agrarian University-Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy. The authors identify the main challenges to developing technical thinking skills and, taking account of current development trends in engineering education, suggest ways to solve them.