The concept of application-oriented teacher is put forward in view of the bias and misunderstanding in the process of cultivating “dual-qualification” teachers in higher vocational colleges. Application-oriented teacher is adept at practical operation, engineering technology and career orientation. They are not only able to impart basic undergraduate knowledge, but also familiar with on-the-job operation. Application-oriented teachers meet the requirements for deepening higher vocational education reform in China, conform to the schooling orientation of higher vocational colleges, and highlight the schooling characteristics of higher vocational colleges. Cultivating application-oriented teachers provide not only a guarantee for well-developed happy teachers, but also an important way to improve the teaching quality of higher vocational colleges. It is at the same time an endogenous force to activate the high-quality development of higher vocational colleges. Higher vocational colleges should take more measures to support the cultivation of application-oriented teachers.