Bridging the Skills Gap: Reimagining Faculty Development Through Centers for Teaching and Learning

Centers for Teaching and Learning (CTLs) have emerged as crucial change agents in preparing faculty to integrate employment-relevant skills into higher education, yet limited research examines how these centers operate in resource-constrained contexts. This study investigates how CTLs in Israeli higher education prepare faculty to teach employment skills and what insights this experience offers for understanding effective strategies in similar contexts. Using an embedded single-case study design, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 31 CTL directors (77.5% response rate) across universities, academic colleges, and education colleges, supplemented by document analysis. Our findings reveal three distinct implementation approaches: embedded integration (47% of centers), industry partnership (32%), and competency framework (21%) models. Despite operating with limited formal authority and resources, Israeli CTLs demonstrate “networked legitimacy”, achieving institutional influence through strategic relationship-building rather than hierarchical position. University-based CTLs emphasize cognitive-analytical skills but show lower implementation rates (29%), while college-based CTLs demonstrate higher implementation levels (57%) with stronger workplace connections. The study extends institutional entrepreneurship theory by explaining how resource-constrained organizations drive change without formal authority. These findings offer actionable frameworks for CTL directors, demonstrating that embedded integration can achieve high faculty engagement without separate program infrastructure, while industry partnerships enhance workplace relevance. The research contributes to understanding how educational institutions can enhance graduate employability through strategic faculty development, with implications for workforce-responsive higher education policy development globally.