Joseph "Joe" Mathews

I’m running for Beaumont City Council because I want to help build a community where the next generation can not only grow up in Beaumont, but also build a career and a future here. My background in workforce development has shown me how important it is to connect education with real career opportunities. Our local high schools are preparing students through Career Technical Education programs in fields such as healthcare, construction, technology, robotics, and the skilled trades. I want to help strengthen the bridge between those programs, continuing education, apprenticeships, and employers so our students have clear pathways from the classroom into meaningful careers. At the same time, we need to continue attracting businesses and industries that bring quality jobs and long-term career opportunities to Beaumont. Economic development should be about more than bringing businesses to our city, it should be about creating opportunities for the people who already call Beaumont home. I want our young people to be able to look at their future and know they don’t necessarily have to leave their hometown to find opportunity. We can prepare our workforce, attract better employment opportunities, and build a stronger local economy together.

I’m Joe Mathews, a workforce development professional, Riverside County Youth Commission Coordinator, U.S. Navy veteran, husband, father, and longtime community servant. My career has focused on developing young leaders, creating workforce opportunities, and connecting the next generation with pathways to meaningful careers and public service. I was born and raised in the Pass Area and left home in 1997 to serve in the U.S. Navy. In 2013, my wife and I returned with our children because of our love for this area and our desire to raise our family in the community that helped shape me. As the Riverside County Youth Commission Coordinator, I oversee countywide youth leadership and civic engagement programs and help connect young people with community service, career development, internships, and opportunities to participate in local government. Here at home, I serve as Chair of Beaumont’s Economic Development Committee and as a member of the Economic Development Plan Steering Committee, where I have had the opportunity to contribute to discussions about Beaumont’s economic future, business development, and long-term growth. My professional and community service has reinforced my belief that economic development and workforce development should go hand in hand. We should prepare our young people for successful careers while working to bring quality jobs and opportunities closer to home.