Her desire to support the student as a whole person is the driver in her vocation.
"I like to think that I make at least a small difference in young people's lives," she says.
She recently spent 18-months living in Christchurch while her civil engineer husband contributed to the rebuild.
Ms Michalska's initial introduction to Whanganui was a brief visit in 1989 during a family holiday.
She returned to live here in 2003, taking up the position of deputy principal at Wanganui Collegiate School.
Now, as a resident of 14 years, she still enjoys the lifestyle the city has to offer.
"The people are friendly, the cafes are good, the town is a comfortable size," she says.
She says she applied for the Training For You role after hearing good things about the organisation. "I want to feel like I'm part of a team that is contributing to the well-being of its students."
The business administration and computing programmes that she will support are designed to provide entry-level skills and knowledge in the use of office technology - including modern communication media, keyboard skills and information processing techniques.
The programmes also include the development of skills and knowledge in customer service, communication and the ability to contribute within a workplace team.