McDonald's to serve up A-level standard in running burger bars

Jan 27 2008

Staff at McDonald’s will gain the equivalent of A-levels in running burger restaurants after the fast food giant won government approval to become an exam board.

The firm is piloting a “basic shift manager” course, which will train staff in everything they need to run a McDonald’s outlet, from marketing to human resources and customer service skills.

The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority said it had approved the company to develop courses up to the equivalent of A-level standard.

Two other firms - Network Rail and Flybe - were also approved to award their own qualifications, the QCA said.

The announcement marks the first time commercial companies have been allowed to award nationally recognised qualifications based on their own work-place training schemes.

The initiative aims to give official credit to training that would otherwise not be widely recognised outside the companies concerned.

Skills Secretary John Denham said: “It is right that we recognise and accredit employers that have shown a commitment to training and developing their staff.

“This is an important step towards ending the old divisions between company training schemes and national qualifications, something that will benefit employees, employers and the country as a whole.”

Giving qualifications equivalent status to A-levels raises the prospect that staff could take a course at McDonald’s and then go on to college or university.

But it will be universities and the higher education admissions service Ucas who decide whether the courses that emerge from these companies will be a good preparation for undergraduate study.

David Fairhurst, senior vice president and chief people officer from McDonald’s said the move marked “an important and exciting step” for the company.

“As a progressive employer we are committed to taking a leadership position on training and skills,” he said.

“We want to ensure that our approach to recruitment, training, and development continues to create real opportunities for social mobility.”

Airline Flybe has been given the green light to develop courses from GCSE to university degree level.

The firm will be developing its “airline trainer programme” later this year. Courses will cover everything from engineering to cabin crew training.

Network Rail will be able to develop courses equivalent to GCSEs and A-levels and its first qualification to be piloted in 2008 will be in “track engineering”.

The course will cover the technical requirements of track engineering and health and safety issues.

The company said the entire Network Rail workforce of 33,000 staff would eventually be involved in the training.

Ken Boston, chief executive of the QCA, the regulator that approved the three companies, said the move recognised “employers’ commitment to training”.

He said: “They are the first three companies to gain awarding body status and we look forward to considering further applications from employers to have their valuable work-related learning programmes validated.”

John Cridland, deputy director-general of the CBI, said: “Today marks a significant milestone on the road to reforming qualifications so that they better reflect the skills and competencies employers and employees need.

“Flybe, McDonald’s and Network Rail deserve recognition for trail blazing this initiative and making it easier for companies wanting to follow in their footsteps.”