McDonald's first high street employer to be granted power to issue own qualifications
UK Press Releases
January, 2008
McDonald's has been given official awarding body status by the exam regulator, meaning it can develop and award its own nationally recognised qualifications.
The company is one of only three employers granted the power by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in what is a radical shake-up of training and a pioneering move for British business.
It means that the in-house qualification restaurant managers gain at McDonald's will count towards other academic qualifications such as vocational diplomas or even degrees.
The move was announced by the Prime Minister Gordon Brown at an event today attended by McDonald's CEO and President, Steve Easterbrook, and Chief People Officer and Senior Vice President, David Fairhurst.
David Fairhurst said: "Receiving official awarding body status is an important step for McDonald's 67,000 employees. It is testimony to the strength of the training systems and standards at McDonald's. We're delighted and excited to be in the vanguard of employers with the power to accredit their own qualifications."
"As a progressive employer, it is a natural extension to the qualifications we already offer. Our 67,000 UK staff can already study towards nationally recognised Level 1 and 2 basic skills qualifications in accredited exam centre restaurants."
"Our employees tell us they want the chance to do more formal learning and we're responding to that. From this January, we are proud to be piloting our own externally recognised qualifications for our management training."
"This will increase staff competence as well as confidence, leading to higher levels of Quality, Service & Cleanliness for our customers - a central aim of our business. We aim to provide the most comprehensive training in the sector, so that we continue to attract and retain highly motivated and committed employees."
Notes to editors:
1. In order to become an official awarding body, McDonald's had to achieve the criteria set out by the QCA, which all traditional awarding bodies have to meet. From January 2008, a 'Basic Shift Managers' course will be piloted for one year. The learning programme will be broken into credits, in line with QCF guidelines, to allow the course to be recognised as a qualification on the QCF. The course will cover everything the 7,000 managers across the country need to know for the day-to-day running of a McDonald's restaurant from basic operational requirements to finance, marketing and HR; and is the first of many courses that they will attend in their career with McDonald's.
2. McDonald's has a proven track record of investing in the development of employees and offering flexibility as part of its commitment to being a modern and progressive company. In fact:
• McDonald's entered the FT Best Workplaces rankings for the first time in 2007 and was one of only five organisations with more than 10,000 employees to be included
• In 2005 McDonald's became the first large multi-site employer to achieve the new Investor in People Profile status
• 80 per cent of McDonald's restaurant management started as hourly paid crew members
• One in five McDonald's franchisees started out as hourly paid crew members
• The average tenure for a McDonald's restaurant manager is 10 years
• Restaurant crew can choose the hours that they are available for work in advance and their shifts are scheduled within this availability
• Parents can work during schools hours with holidays off, while students can work around college and university, often transferring between restaurants during the holidays
• McDonald's is one of The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers for the eighth consecutive year
• McDonald's was listed in the Guardian's 'Britain's Top Employers 2007' awards
• McDonald's was listed in the Times 'Top 50 Companies Where Women Want to Work' awards 2007
• McDonald's was named Caterer & Hotelkeeper's 'Best Place to Work in Hospitality 2007'
