ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore and McDonald’s today announced plans to hire nearly 4,000 employees across 330 company- and franchisee-owned restaurants in Maryland as part of a
workforce expansion initiative this summer, in tandem with the corporation’s celebration of the 10th anniversary of its comprehensive education program. The governor joined Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Portia Wu and Maryland McDonald’s owner-operators to recognize the corporation’s economic impact in Maryland, particularly through the Archways to Opportunity program—which has helped more than 1,000 Marylanders advance their education, acquire new skills, and promote their careers.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with McDonald's to bring nearly 4,000 new jobs to Maryland,”
said Gov. Moore. “In partnership with the
Archways to Opportunity program, we are creating pathways to work, wages, and wealth by helping Marylanders not only gain employment, but also gain new skills during their employment. Collaborations like this one are why Maryland is seeing some of the lowest unemployment and fastest job growth in the nation.”
McDonald’s supports more than 24,000 jobs in the state and is responsible for over $550 million in tax revenue across all levels of government. Moreover, nearly 75 percent of Maryland McDonald’s restaurants are minority or women owned and operated. The governor uplifted the corporation’s
economic impact across Maryland, and applauded their continued commitment to education and career advancement through the Archways to Opportunity program.
“We applaud McDonald’s for investing in our communities and for supporting opportunities for Marylanders to gain work experience and to continue to learn. Work experience can be transformative in young people’s lives,”
said Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Portia Wu. Launched in April 2015, Archways to Opportunity is a comprehensive education program and strategy where McDonald’s restaurant employees can take advantage of education benefits like earning a high school diploma, taking English as a Second Language classes, getting tuition assistance, participating in apprenticeship programs, and receiving free educational and career guidance. Through Archways to Opportunity, McDonald’s also offers tuition assistance that can be used at any accredited institution and for any program, including non-degree vocational opportunities like HVAC, welding, or informational technology.
In Maryland alone, more than $3.1 million in tuition assistance in Maryland has been disbursed, allowing more than 1,000 Maryland crew members to receive diplomas or certifications.
“As small business owners here in Maryland, we’re proud to do our part in driving economic growth by offering meaningful job opportunities in our local community,”
said Mary Navies and Imani Ford, McDonald’s owner/operators. “The skills you learn working at one of our restaurants – like teamwork, communication and great service – stay with you for life. And there’s truly no better feeling than when we can help crew members reach their educational goals through the Archways to Opportunity program.”
“I started my career with McDonald’s almost 20 years ago as a crew member, and I’ve always aspired to be a leader. Thanks to training I received on the job and benefits like Archways to Opportunity, I was able to refine my skills and reach a top management position,”
said Ernest Mobley, director of operations in the Navies and Ford McDonald’s organization. “McDonald’s has continued to open doors for me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue learning and growing.”
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