People Positive

Our apprenticeships programme has already given over 19,500 people a flying start to their careers since 2006. We’re now increasing our ambitions to ensure that, as with all our employment opportunities, our apprentices will be representative of the communities in which we serve.

This year, we’ve celebrated National Apprenticeship Week 2022 to raise awareness of the breadth of our apprenticeships, recognising and applauding success stories across the country. To encourage applicants, we created and shared Apprenticeship Toolkits full of resource materials for mentors, managers, and employees across our restaurant network including the launch of six new corporate apprenticeshipsspanning accounts and finance, digital marketing, project management, business analytics, data science and accounting and taxation. To find out more about McDonald’s Apprenticeship Programme, visit our website here.

Our focus on great people extends to our supply chain as well. We work with over 23,000 British and Irish farmers, helping them through our Farm Forward programme to build sustainable businesses, for themselves and for the planet. It’s not just about people who are already farmers either. By 2030, we will kick-start over 100 careers in food and farming for young people from diverse backgrounds through our McDonald’s Young Talent programme.

“The McDonald’s Apprenticeship programme was an amazing opportunity given to me. After leaving school and going full time in work, I didn’t think gaining a qualification would be an easy task. However, with the help of my trainer and McDonald’s mentor, I was able to balance my workload, work full time and gain two qualifications.”

Sean, Shift Manager, Glasgow

90% of our Business Managers began in our restaurants

A third of our senior leaders and 90% of our Business Managers began their careers in junior roles within our restaurants. So they know just where a McDonald’s start can take you.

By 2030, our goal is that 40% of all corporate leadership roles are held by those who are from underrepresented groups – whether racial or ethnic, sexual diversity and gender identity, socio-economically disadvantaged, or physical and mental disability.

To help us achieve this goal, we recently launched our 2022 Corporate Placement Programme to give hourly paid restaurant employees the opportunity to join McDonald’s corporate offices for a year long work placement, with the aim of providing them with opportunities to learn valuable and transferable skills to many types of jobs and sectors. The Programme, which consists of two cohorts a year, aims to reach potential candidates from across the UK&I regardless of prior level of education and background with the aim to open doors to a variety of roles through an equitable and values based application process. 

We are also asking our suppliers to join us on this mission, by signing a mutual Diversity, Equity and Inclusion commitment. By using our influence beyond our own business, we are helping to break down barriers to opportunity.

"I really love the variety of people you meet. I’ve learned a lot of skills on the job, but I do find communication is the most essential skill. As an Assistant Manager, it’s so important to understand what’s going on in the restaurant or how people feel.”

Afsana, Assistant Manager, London

Our long-term goals in full

See the details behind our Plan.