Ontario's colleges and McDonald's Canada ink groundbreaking agreement on business training

Image: McDonald's Canada CNW Group/Colleges Ontario.

TORONTO - For the first time in Ontario, McDonald's employees can now receive credits towards a college business diploma, thanks to a new agreement between Colleges Ontario and McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited.

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The agreement will create a provincewide partnership with McDonald's Canada, a leading Canadian business, to establish a prior-learning recognition system. McDonald's employees, who have completed specific McDonald's training, will be eligible to be granted the equivalent of first-year credit for a business or business administration program at one of twenty-four (24) public colleges in Ontario. This may lead to significant cost-savings for eligible employees by reducing the number of courses and time required to earn a diploma – with potential savings of up to $4,500.

"We're thrilled to offer such an amazing program with McDonald's Canada," said Linda Franklin, the president and CEO of Colleges Ontario. "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."

"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."

Across Ontario, twenty-four (24) public colleges have agreed to grant recognition for first-year business credit into the business diploma or business administration advanced diploma (or the relevant related program at each local college) to McDonald's managers who have successfully completed the management development program level 2, with some additional requirements. This means that employees will have the opportunity to directly enter a second-year business diploma or business administration advanced diploma program.

The program is now available for McDonald's employees across Ontario. McDonald's Canada currently offers a similar program in B.C. with the British Columbia Institute of Technology and is also exploring programs with other post-secondary institutions across the country.

For more information about McDonald's Archways to Opportunity program please visit www.ArchwaysToOpportunity.com

Source Colleges Ontario