McDonald’s Outlines Career Advancement, Education with New Employee App

Need to Know

• McDonald’s unveiled Archways to Careers, a career exploration mobile app to help employees make informed career decisions and build out career road maps. 
• The app, an extension to the company’s Archways to Opportunity program, helps restaurant employees understand the skills they are developing and how to leverage them in new career opportunities. 
• In addition to interest assessments and career exploration, the app also gives employees access to career advisers from InsideTrack. 
• Since its inception in 2015, Archways to Opportunities has increased access to education for over 50,000 people and awarded over 35,000 restaurant employees college tuition assistance. 
• This new app serves McDonald’s 1.7 million employees.

Analysis

McDonald’s invests in its employees with its new Archways to Careers app. Launched in partnership with the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning and InsideTrack, the app is an expansion on the existing Archways to Opportunities program. 

Archways to Opportunities offers high-value educational benefits to employees that work at participating McDonald’s locations. It assists employees in learning English language skills, earning a high school diploma, assists with education and career advice and even offers eligible employees college tuition assistance up to $3,000 after 90 days of employment.

As an interactive tool, the Archways to Careers app expands on the platform helping employees find resources and receive real-time career support with access to InsideTrack career advisers. 

“The McDonald’s system workforce has immeasurable talent to offer, and with its existing education benefits coupled with this rich new mobile experience, restaurant employees are better equipped to discover and advance their careers, positioning themselves for long-term career success no matter where they end up,” said Rob Lauber, McDonald’s chief learning officer.  

Employees complete interest assessments and quizzes in the app, helping them narrow down their skills and define their work style. From there, they set goals and see what career opportunities lie within their skill set. The app will also walk them through specific Archways to Opportunities programs that if they’re eligible for, will help them increase their skills and reach their goals. The app comes equipped with a chatbot to answer basic questions and provide users with additional research. For those looking for more one-on-one support, the app can connect them to a career adviser. 

McDonald’s operates over 14,000 US restaurants and employs nearly 1.7 million people globally. With reports of the restaurant chain’s high-tech makeovers causing employee dissatisfaction and high turnover—in 2018 turnover jumped to 150%—retention strategies, skill development programs employee perks like the Archways to Careers could help the restaurant keep employees. 

A 2018 McDonald’s workforce preparedness study identified top industries employees aspired to work in as: arts/entertainment, technology, entrepreneurship, healthcare, and restaurant/food service. The app will allow users to explore opportunities at McDonald’s restaurants and corporate headquarters that match many of there personal interests and skillsets, as well as those that fit into the industries, wish list.