McDonald’s president and U.S. labor secretary: What workforce development programs get right about employment and opportunity

Every summer, millions of young Americans begin that rite of passage of looking for their first job. It’s an experience that will stick with them for the rest of their lives. One that can help instill confidence, discipline, and the acquisition of skills and talents, such as leadership, teamwork, and decision-making, in a way no other experience can. When employers create pathways to help young workers unleash their potential and imagine their own path for their future of work, companies, communities, and employees all benefit.

An estimated six in 10 Americans have worked in a restaurant at some point in their work life, including one in eight who have worked at a McDonald’s. The restaurant workplace introduces us to the importance of arriving on time, effectively communicating with our coworkers, managing deadlines in a high-energy environment, providing thoughtful customer service, and collectively solving problems.

Today, as workers prepare for a future where technologies such as AI and automation are changing the way we work, the Trump administration and McDonald’s and its franchisees are each committed to helping workers seize the opportunities of tomorrow. Enrichment programs that provide opportunities for skills training, one-on-one coaching, and financial assistance to further their education make a world of difference in helping employees forge their path ahead.

Archways to Opportunity is one of the ways McDonald’s and participating local franchisees help people prepare for that future. Created by McDonald’s and its independent franchisees, it’s a comprehensive education strategy with multiple programs that give eligible U.S.-based restaurant employees an opportunity to grow and learn.

Since the program was launched in 2015, McDonald’s and its participating franchisees have invested over $240 million in Archways to Opportunity and helped over 90,000 people earn their high school diploma, receive college tuition assistance, learn English as a second language, and access education and career advising services. This summer, McDonald’s expects that number to grow.

On Monday, we came together at a restaurant in Lewis Center, Ohio, to share that McDonald’s franchisees and company-owned restaurants plan to hire up to 375,000 people across the country—the first national hiring announcement since 2020. During that visit, we talked about the importance of creating more opportunities for American workers as the Department of Labor embarks on its America at Work tour, a nationwide listening tour to hear more about the challenges and opportunities facing everyday Americans at work. The idea is to enhance workforce development and economic prosperity, promoting skills training and career education to meet modern workforce needs.

We spoke to several Archways to Opportunity participants, including Anamaria Monterroso, who currently supports her restaurant organization in a variety of ways, thanks to the tools she developed through the program. Anamaria is currently attending Colorado Technical University, where she is pursuing her bachelor's degree in HR Management. She says she is determined to be the first in her family to graduate from college and is on track to do so. She even encouraged her mom, a McDonald’s general manager, to utilize Archways to pursue her own educational dreams. Before joining Archways to Opportunity, Anamaria says she was very shy, and she credits the program for elevating her confidence and helping her become a leader for her team.

By providing tuition assistance and access to education, training, and upskilling, thousands more Americans can get help with building their careers—many of whom will move on to career paths outside of food service. In a new survey, two-thirds of Archways to Opportunity participants said the program helped them discover a passion or interest, while three in four said the program helped them pursue a career in a new field or industry, such as health care, education, or business.

By investing in people, McDonald’s and its franchisees are helping a new generation of workers build a path to economic and social mobility. Nearly half of Archways participants who received a college degree said they were the first in their family to do so, much like Anamaria. Programs like these not only help companies enhance their own talent pipelines, but they also help develop talent for the American workforce writ large.

One Archways participant shared that “it was more than a check to pay for my diploma. It was a team of people who were rooting for me.”

We have been lucky enough to work in many places around the globe. As we meet with workers across the country, it is abundantly clear that working hard to provide for our families and overcoming challenges to build a brighter future is a common value we all share—across geographies and ideologies. Like similar programs operated by other companies, Archways to Opportunity embodies ways in which companies are getting it right to keep American talent gainfully at work, now and into the future.

Not every opportunity to learn is the same, and not every successful journey is identical. Together, American companies, through workforce enhancement programs, can help build a future where more and more Americans have access to opportunity to pursue their dreams.

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This story was originally featured on Fortune.com