Relevance of this research is determined by quality improvement of professional engineering education. The purpose of this paper is to offer practical recommendations for those interested in establishment of education and research laboratories as a means of enhancing the quality of professional engineering education in design and production of composite parts. Structure and function analysis was the main approach within this research used to identify the functions and structure of the Center of Composite Technology as well as the purposes of education and research laboratories. Structure and function analysis approach, the main one within this research, was used to identify the purposes of education and research laboratories that all together provide synergetic effect in adaptation of a future professional to industrial conditions and make him or her able to meet competition in the labor market. Purposes of education and research laboratories were defined by 75 academics and 250 students at Kazan National Research Technical University n.a. A.N. Tupolev that took part in this study. Main results of the research are identification of the functions (professional and educational) and structure of the Center of Composite Technology as well as the purposes of education and research laboratories (design and simulation, material science, tooling manufacturing, preforms and prelaminates, molding, quality control, assembly and joining, equipment manufacturing). Significance of these results is that identified functions of the Center of Composite Technology allow considering the center an innovative component of the material and technical support of engineering education, providing practical training of students. Identified purposes of these laboratories set practical trends in engineering education as provided by industrial strategy of a region.