McDonalds plans to offer PHD’s to employees
McDonalds is looking to launch their own PHD management qualification in an attempt to shed the ‘McJobs’ stigma associated with working for the fast food chain.
Speaking to the Financial Times, McDonald’s chief people officer David Fairhurst said offering a PHD was the next logical addition to the chain’s other training programmes.
David Fairhurst, the group’s “chief people officer”, told the Financial Times, “One day I’d love to see us doing a PhD, I definitely think we should go as far as we can.”
The company has developed a high reputation over recent years for its training.
So far, the fast food chain has already received plaudits for its investments in employee development. In 2008, the fast-food chain became one of the first companies to be approved by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to offer A-level standard qualifications.
Fairhurst insisted that the new A-level courses McDonalds offered, had made them a university in their own right, adding that around 2,500 employees had enrolled.
Many university graduates have enrolled on their A-level courses looking for a more hands on practical approach, complementing their three years of academic training.
Fairhurst insisted the company wanted to perfect their current training programme, which includes courses in shift management, before putting together a post-graduate qualification.
However, the reputation of employment in fast food restaurants as low-skilled and badly paid will be a difficult stigma to lose, despite the increase in academically qualified staff.
McDonalds was one of nine companies granted the power to award staff qualifications, in a bid to encourage more British workers to hold recognised certificates to increase their employability.
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