Bradford College caters for approximately 17,000 students and is one of the largest further education colleges in the UK. The college is very diverse with large numbers of young people (4,000), adults (9,000), higher education students (4,000). The college has established a multi-Academy Trust and sponsors academies and studio schools.
For the previous five years, she was Principal and Chief Executive of Hopwood Hall College in Rochdale and prior to that was Vice Principal of City College Manchester and Handsworth College (now City College Birmingham).
Michele joined further education as a lecturer in business studies in 1980 after 11 years in industry. She is passionate about the value that further education colleges bring both to individuals and the communities, towns and cities in which they are located.
In July 2009 Michele was awarded the OBE for services to further education and community relations and received the CBE in the 2015 New Year's Honours.