Colleges and McDonald’s form partnership

BY BRENDEN ZERIHUN

A recent partnership between Ontario’s colleges and McDonald’s Canada will allow employees of the fast food chain to be able to earn credits toward a college business diploma.

(Photo by Brenden Zerihun/The Sheridan Sun)

As part of the new partnership, managers who have completed a certain level of training will be able to forgo the equivalent of first-year credit for a business or business administration program at one of 24 Ontario colleges, including Sheridan.

Greg Ball, an associate dean in Sheridan’s Pilon School of Business, says the new partnership is positive because it presents an innovative way for McDonald’s employees to set a leg up in the business world.

“I think this is a good idea, and is a model for one of the many way we can work with real businesses.”

“I think this will give McDonald’s Canada management trainees an opportunity to further the business training they have received while working for McDonald’s.”

Students have the option to apply for prior learning assessment and recognition for business communications and mathematics credits. Sheridan offers flexible learning options with part-time schedules and online courses so students can continue working while attending school.

“Our curriculum is comprised of course work, career development and classroom training that is similar to other college business programs,” said Michelle Yao, communications manager at McDonald’s.

“We wanted employees to have the opportunity to access further education and training without repeating learning. That’s why this is such a unique partnership between business and academia because it recognizes the caliber of our training while aligning with Colleges Ontario’s School of Business course criteria.”

In addition setting an opportunity to directly enter a second-year program, the partnership will also allow McDonald’s employees to potentially save up to $4,500 in tuition.

“The partnership may help colleges attract more students because many of them might have considered multiple years of schooling too big a hurdle – we may actually gain students that way that we would never have gotten otherwise,” said Linda Franklin President and CEO of Colleges Ontario.

(CNW Group/Colleges Ontario)

Find further information on how to apply to this program at Sheridan here.