Michele Lawty-Jones

Board Member

Michele completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN), studying Psychology with Maths.  She subsequently gained her PhD in Applied Psychology at London Guildhall University, lecturing and publishing a number of academic papers in the area of personality assessment. A Chartered Psychologist, Michele is passionate about people and social mobility, and the contribution that skilled, engaged and productive people can make to business growth and ultimately economic regeneration.

She has delivered a range of business psychology solutions to companies, ranging from leadership and management interventions to team building, whilst practising as an Occupational Psychologist.  During her career, Michele established a strategic business unit at CareerLink, which delivered Business Psychology and Career Management Services to both public and private organisations, securing a variety of funding, including EU, Government and commercial funds.  She went on to become Partnerships Director at Connexions Lancashire and CXL, overseeing commercial and adult services and services to young people which were employer facing.  She then went onto become Head of Skills and Education at the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), responsible for Northwest strategy and policy, overseeing a £70m + 3 year programme, leading 2 key themes of the Regional Economic Strategy: Higher Level Skills and Leadership and Management.  The Leadership and Management programme engaged 12,297 leaders and managers from over 6,633 organisations across the Northwest, raising skills levels and improving the productivity of the businesses involved.

She joined the University of Cumbria in April 2011, as Head of Enterprise and Innovation, and was responsible for the development and implementation of an enterprise strategy for the University.  Michele took up the role of Director of the Lancashire Skills Hub in August 2015, and is responsible for the development and implementation of a Lancashire Skills and Employment Strategic Framework for Lancashire, reporting to the Lancashire Skills and Employment Board.  Throughout her career Michele has been committed to supporting and developing others, recognising the contribution of individuals, and the need to support and enable young people to achieve their full potential.