TORONTO – McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Ltd. recently created a province-wide partnership with Colleges Ontario that will give McDonald’s employees the opportunity to directly enter a second-year business diploma or business administration advanced diploma program.
Under the Archways to Opportunity initiative, McDonald’s employees who have completed specific training within the company will be eligible to receive the equivalent of first-year credit for a business or business administration program at one of 24 public colleges in Ontario. Employees who participate in the program may save up to C$4,500 by reducing the number of courses and time required to earn a degree.
Colleges Ontario, the advocacy organization for the province’s 24 public colleges, has agreed to grant first-year business credit toward the business diploma or business administration advanced diploma to McDonald’s managers who successfully complete the management development program level 2 along with other requirements.
“We’re thrilled to offer such an amazing program with McDonald’s Canada,” Linda Franklin, president and CEO of Colleges Ontario, said in a news release. “This unique arrangement marks a new way of thinking about how employees can get access to further education and training without repeating learning they have already acquired. It’s the type of innovative partnership that colleges and businesses will be doing more of as Canada looks to strengthen its workforce and its economy.”
The program is now available for McDonald’s employees across Ontario. A similar program is offered in British Columbia through the British Columbia Institute of Technology.
“McDonald’s and its independent franchisees are committed to providing opportunities for people to learn life skills that will set them up for success — skills such as leadership, communications, hospitality and profit management,” said Sharon Ramalho, chief people officer of McDonald’s Canada. “We’re so pleased to work with the colleges on this new program that not only recognizes the quality of McDonald’s training, but also empowers employees to apply the skills they’ve learned to reach their career and academic goals.”
