Staff Reports
McDonald’s restaurants and Ivy Tech Community College are working together on a college affordability and workforce training alliance that will be shared at more than 300 restaurant locations and 40 Ivy Tech locations.
Through McDonald’s Archways to Opportunity program, restaurant employees who work a minimum of 90 days at 15 hours per week will be eligible for tuition assistance of up to $2,500 per year as a crew member and up to $3,000 per year as a manager.
Ivy Tech is offering crosswalk credits to McDonald’s employees for some on-the-job training and classes, with additional individualized counseling, to allow them to earn a degree faster.
McDonald’s restaurants in Indiana have enrolled a number of employees in the Archways to Opportunity tuition assistance program since its inception five years ago. In 2019, McDonald’s invested more than $1.2 million in tuition assistance for its employees.
Ivy Tech’s degree crosswalk will allow McDonald’s employees to work with an Ivy Tech counselor to determine which of their McDonald’s training and work experiences may transfer and apply towards a certificate or a degree.
“There is no limit,” said Robert Terhune, McDonald’s owner/operator and president of the Greater Indiana Operator Co-op. “We want to encourage as many of our employees and students across Indiana as we can to take advantage of this tuition assistance program. We believe this strengthens all of our communities throughout Indiana.”
With most Ivy Tech students working while they attend school, Ivy Tech officials said the new partnership aligns with the college’s mission.
“Ivy Tech locations across Indiana currently enroll many talented McDonald’s employees pursuing upward mobility in their careers, and we expect this partnership to encourage even more employees to enroll and at the same time, assist in finding potential new employees for McDonald’s and new students for Ivy Tech,” said Ivy Tech President Sue Ellspermann. “Each Ivy Tech campus will dedicate an adviser to McDonald’s employee enrollment, questions and scheduling needs.”
To learn more about the program, visit archwaystoopportunity.com or ivytech.edu/mcdonalds.
