Dispatch from a Summer Internship: Corey Matthews
This summer, GSPP student Corey Matthews is posted at the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, which works to create jobs and attract new businesses to Los Angeles' 88 counties. He has been working closely with the Director of Public Policy to align stakeholders around the growth of the aerospace and defense industry.
"A week after I started, LA County was designated one of twelve manufacturing destination areas from the Federal Government," says Corey. "Since then, we have been moving very quickly to work with businesses, start ups, government players, workforce development organizations, universities, and elected officials to position LA County as a competitive area for aerospace and defense."
Corey and the team he is working with was able to successfully advocate for AB 2389, which would give tax credits and provide incentives to two major aerospace and defense corporations to build a bomber project that would grow their business and generates jobs for the LA County region.
"It's been a really cool experience and of course not without controversy about the role of government in big business affairs," says Corey. "But I think that makes this learning opportunity all the more real and hands-on."