McDonald's “Where You Want To Be” campaign is focused on its career advising services delivered through its signature education program, Archways to Opportunity.
McDonald's US Chief People Officer Melissa Kersey shares why she is excited about the "Where You Want To Be" and why she believes McDonald's is teaching its employees vital skills for success.
Bettering the employee experience
Melissa has a commitment and passion for bettering the employment experience for U.S. Restaurant and Corporate Staff. This includes hiring, training, professional development and performance management. McDonald's aim is to enhance each of these areas in ways that continue to improve the experience for each employee and supports McDonald’s business goals of growth and general success.
"That’s why I’m thrilled about our new “Where You Want To Be” campaign, McDonald’s first-ever career advising campaign," says Melissa.
Helping people take steps in their career journey
McDonald's enhanced advising tools for restaurant employees include:
- Free career and academic advising services with a Master’s-level prepared advisor to establish a plan for reaching short and long-term education goals that bridge to career pathways.
- A new mobile experience for career and education exploration through a mobile app featuring built-in guidance and resources to support employee career progress.
"I’m proud to be a part of a company that is helping people take important steps in their career journey – it’s part of our plan to engage with restaurant employees in a meaningful and impactful way, especially as our nation is facing a shift in its workforce. As a result of the evolving workplace, employers are re-examining which skills matter most to them," explains Melissa.
"For McDonald's and its independent franchisees, core soft skills like teamwork, customer service and responsibility are vitally important to the work in McDonald’s restaurants. And, as a brand that gives many young people their first jobs every year, we know these skills are especially important to those just starting out."
Creating a more skilled and educated workforce
As well as its “Where You Want To Be" campaign, McDonald’s is developing a more skilled and educated workforce that reaches beyond the personal value of restaurant employees to benefit the greater economy and the wider American workforce.
McDonald's is offering the following opportunities:
- Increasing education access through Archways to Opportunity to more than 36,000 people through resources to gain a high school diploma, receive upfront college tuition assistance, access free education/career advising services and learn English as a second language.
- Expanding the HACER National Scholarship, which gives up to $100,000 to Hispanic students for tuition assistance, from five to 30 winners.
- Collaborating with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to help historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) by funding four “True to the HBCU” $10,000 scholarships as a way to help create educational empowerment.
- Launching the Youth Opportunity initiative with the International Youth Foundation to reduce barriers to employment for two million young people by 2025 by starting in Chicago with a $2 million investment in pre-employment programming and apprenticeships.
"I recognize we don’t live in a one-size-fits-all world and at McDonald’s, we’re prepared for diverse outcomes from our employee education and engagement programs and are eager to see what paths they choose," says Melissa.
"Whatever their paths, I’m confident McDonald’s restaurant employees will find enrichment in these programs and will recognize, in a very tangible way, how the skills they’ve been learning every day at McDonald’s can help them in life – no matter where they go next."
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McDonald’s is known for its diversity and inclusion efforts. There are many opportunities at this global company committed to making a difference. Search and apply for opportunities with this prime employer today.
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