The Centre for Literacy
Summer Institute 2010:
Workplace Literacy and Essential
Skills - What Counts? and Why?
David J. Rosen Ed.D.
Advisor to McDonald’s Corporation, USA
English Under the Arches Program
djrosen123@gmail.com
McDonald’s in the U.S at a Glance
Organizational structure
• 13,600 restaurants in US
• 85% of these restaurants owned by
Owner/Operators (franchisees)
• US divided into 3 divisions and 22 regions, each
accountable for achieving business results
• Regional staff support Owner/Operators and
Company-owned restaurants in: operations,
training, HR, marketing, development
McDonald’s – A history of growing our own
Keenly committed to people development as a business driver
•Strong culture of promoting from within
•Formal crew and manager development programs
•Started as crew:
–70% of restaurant managers
–33% of Owner/Operators
–50% of corporate employees
–40% of US company officers
“Don’t worry about yourself. Take good care of those who work for you
and you’ll float to greatness on their achievements”
Ray Kroc
Bilingual leadership development
Objectives for developing employee language skills
For McDonald’s
For Restaurants
For Individuals
Supports People
Migration Strategy
Improves operations
Improves
communications skills
Builds the company
brand
Attracts and retains
talent
Improves employee
satisfaction
Increases confidence
Improves customer
satisfaction
Opens career
opportunities
What is the English Under the Arches Program?
• 3 ESL courses developed for McDonald’s shift managers
(a 4th one ready later this year)
• Taught by professional ESL teachers from community
colleges and other community adult education providers
• Supports McDonald’s manager development
• Scalable across the country
• Built on proven model: 3-Legged Stool
– Operators
– Company
– Teachers (Suppliers)
• Project began in 2007
• Funded entirely by the Corporation and the individual
restaurants
English Under the Arches (EUA)
What’s different about EUA?
• Contextual curriculum: students learn faster
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–
–
–
Focus on the English they NEED – to run a shift
Have class, or assigned practice, 5 hours/week
Apply what they learn immediately
Build strong bond with other students and teachers
(15 - 18 students/class, 2 students/store)
– Courses range from 8 to 22 weeks
• Entirely on paid work time
• Initiated by Corporation
• Corporation seeks out education providing
partners
English Under the Arches
What’s different about EUA?
• Students learn in 4 ways
– “Attend” most classes from the restaurant
– Meet face-to-face for intensive class interaction
English Under the Arches Results
Participation and Outcomes
• Offered in 11 of 22 McDonald’s regions (20 sites)
• Data collected by restaurants with leadership from the
Corporation, including follow-up data 1 and 2 years out
• In 2009, 500 students had enrolled since inception; in the
first quarter of 2010, 250 already enrolled -- should end
this year with about 600 for 2010 alone
• 85% class attendance rate
• 85% graduation rate
• 85% showed increase in oral proficiency, one or more SPL
levels (BEST Plus standardized test)
• 7% employee turnover 2 years after taking course
• Over 90% employee retention rate for both the first and
second years after graduation
• Over 96% of graduates received job advancements with
wage increases after their course
English Under the Arches
Restaurant Operator commitments
•
•
•
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Identify high-potential managers
Give students course placement test (5 minutes)
Register students for courses on region’s website
Schedule employees for class time during shift
(4 hours/week)
• Pay instructor fees (per student/course)
– Shift Basics (8 weeks)
– Shift Conversation (22 weeks)
– Shift Writing (12 weeks)
$130
$350
$300
• Provide cordless phone/headsets