Michael Gritton

KentuckianaWorks

Louisville, KY USA

"The only way to find out what you’re going to be the best at and what you’re going to love the most is to try things."

Career Roadmap

Michael's work combines: Government, Politics, and Helping People

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Executive Director

I help people in Louisville and surrounding areas gain skills and opportunity to succeed in the workforce.

Bachelor's Degree: Political Science and Philosophy

Doctorate: Law

I've taken a lot of twists and turns

1.
I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, and focused a lot of my time on playing basketball—I had dreams of playing basketball in the NBA.
2.
As I got older, I started thinking that I might pursue a career as a lawyer because I enjoyed reading, discussion, and debate.
3.
I earned my bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy from Duke University and then went on to law school at Columbia.
4.
After law school, I got a job as a lawyer at a well known law firm in New York—it was a good job and I was making good money, but I started realizing that I didn’t actually love being a lawyer.
5.
I was eventually laid off and rather than finding another job as a lawyer, I decided to pivot, move with my wife to Boston, Massachusetts, and work on political campaigns instead.
6.
After a few years, my wife and I moved back to Louisville and I found my way into workforce development through local government.
7.
I’m now the executive director of KentuckianaWorks, where I work to help people in the seven county region around Louisville gain skills and opportunities to succeed in the workforce.

Keep following my journey

THE NOISE
You're not good enough at this job to keep it.
How I responded:
I had gone to a great law school, got a job at a well-known law firm, and was working hard. All of a sudden, I was told that I was no longer needed. It was a miserable, humbling thing to go through. It took a while to get over emotionally because it felt like a failure. However, I learned a valuable lesson in how the economy works. I was also able to reflect on what I really wanted to do. I didn't enjoy the job as much as I should and was able to pivot into something I enjoy so much more.

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

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As first in my immediate family to go to college, I felt out of place struggling to understand the code at a university with peers who came from prep school and had plenty of guidance. It took extra effort on my part to try and understand that code.
After a few years as a lawyer, I was laid off. It took a long time to get over because it felt unfair—I had done everything right. But it helped me realize that I didn't love being a lawyer and I was able to pivot into a career that I really enjoy.

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