McDonald's may be under pressure from the healthy-eating lobby, but it can still teach the rest of industry a thing or two about PR.
The fast food leader is offering school teachers the chance to serve behind the counter at their local Golden Arches as part of a programme to help them understand the business practices that have made McDonald's one of the world's biggest brands.
Last week, McDonald's held a conference for 100 head teachers in Wakefield, at which delegates heard about the company's approach to crisis management, negotiation and recruiting and retaining staff. Meanwhile, staff from a junior school in Barnsley spent two hours serving at a drive-through restaurant, which earned them £250 for school funds.
There is skepticism about the initiative, particularly from the main teaching union the NUT, which is warning of a "creeping tide of commercialisation" in education.
McDonald's will have an agenda, of course. But the NUT's reaction sadly reflects a wider and well entrenched anti-business ethos, or at best ambivalence to business, within much of the education establishment.
McDonald's should be congratulated for attempting to break-down the barriers. Fast food may not have the best reputation as an employer, but the rest of the hospitality sector fares little better. The image of pubs as a place for a career still needs massive work.
In must be time for other companies to follow McDonald's lead and become proactive in raising the sector's image as an employer, by engaging with educational establishments, from local schools to catering colleges to universities.
Providing speakers, part-time tutors and mentors, as well as work experience opportunities could all be on the agenda.
The restaurant and pub market does not have a good record when it comes to positive PR. The debate over licensing law reform is but one missed opportunity to portray licensed retailing as a progressive, responsible industry. Instead, the campaign comes to an end with the same old images of late-night, binge drinking in the media.
Something has to change.
The fast food leader is offering school teachers the chance to serve behind the counter at their local Golden Arches as part of a programme to help them understand the business practices that have made McDonald's one of the world's biggest brands.
Last week, McDonald's held a conference for 100 head teachers in Wakefield, at which delegates heard about the company's approach to crisis management, negotiation and recruiting and retaining staff. Meanwhile, staff from a junior school in Barnsley spent two hours serving at a drive-through restaurant, which earned them £250 for school funds.
There is skepticism about the initiative, particularly from the main teaching union the NUT, which is warning of a "creeping tide of commercialisation" in education.
McDonald's will have an agenda, of course. But the NUT's reaction sadly reflects a wider and well entrenched anti-business ethos, or at best ambivalence to business, within much of the education establishment.
McDonald's should be congratulated for attempting to break-down the barriers. Fast food may not have the best reputation as an employer, but the rest of the hospitality sector fares little better. The image of pubs as a place for a career still needs massive work.
In must be time for other companies to follow McDonald's lead and become proactive in raising the sector's image as an employer, by engaging with educational establishments, from local schools to catering colleges to universities.
Providing speakers, part-time tutors and mentors, as well as work experience opportunities could all be on the agenda.
The restaurant and pub market does not have a good record when it comes to positive PR. The debate over licensing law reform is but one missed opportunity to portray licensed retailing as a progressive, responsible industry. Instead, the campaign comes to an end with the same old images of late-night, binge drinking in the media.
Something has to change.
