KUALA LUMPUR | More than 50 youths have been celebrated in the first graduation ceremony of McDonald’s Vocational Apprenticeship Programme. The ceremony was held at the McDonald’s Mutiara Damansara Drive-Thru Restaurant, and also attended by Azmir Jaafar, Managing Director and Local Operating Partner of McDonald’s Malaysia and YBhg. Dato’ Amir Bin Omar, Secretary General of Ministry of Human Resources.

The purpose of this programme is to widen the job opportunity for youth in Malaysia and also to share the Human Resource and training skill in order to improve the reputation and performance of Food Service Industries.

“The McDonald’s Vocational Apprenticeship Programme is part of the company’s efforts to raise the standards of human capital development and foster new talents among young people, in line with the national agenda. This is our commitment as a global company with a strong reputation in the food service industry,” said Azmir Jaafar.

McDonald’s Vocational Apprenticeship Programme is an 18-month industry-oriented training programme which combines 70 percent of practical training in McDonald’s restaurants and 30 percent of theoretical lessons in the classroom. According to one of the academy’s trainers, Puan Mazidah, the apprentices would attend a communication class and soon would be practicing the communication skill at the restaurant.

McDonald is targeting to recruit disabled and also youths with low income background to join the academy.

“We have been cooperating with Education Ministry, Special Education Division to recruit disabled to work for McDonald. We also have been working with Pusat Zakat and Social Welfare Department to recruit apprentices around Malaysia as our alternative in order to reduce Malaysia’s poverty rate.”

Once these youths have completed their training, they will be awarded the Malaysian Skills Certificate Level 3 (SKM) accredited by the Ministry of Human Resource. They would be qualified for employment at McDonald’s restaurants or anywhere else within the Malaysia’s food service industry.

The disabled apprentices would get the same level of certificate after graduate as the original learning module has been processed by Department of Skills Development to make it suitable with the disabled apprentices.

McDonald’s Vocational Apprenticeship Programme was introduced in 2018, and until today, more than 1200 Malaysia’s youths have cumulatively participated and are participating in the programme. McDonald’s Malaysia is aiming to reach its target of 5000 apprentices by the end of 2020.

“As for now, there are 400 coaches and each coach needs to supervise at least five apprentices from the academy. Since we are aiming for 5000 apprentices this year, we need about 1000 coaches in the academy.” Azmir Jaafar said.

The first convocation of McDonald’s Vocational Apprenticeship Programme also celebrated two excellent students, Nuraiza Hamdi and Nur Fazriza who were motivated by their own family to join this programme that is provided by McDonald.

“I first knew about this programme through my brother. He is one of McDonald’s workers and I decided to go for the registration and interview at Sri Damansara.” Nur Fazriza said.

McDonald’s Vocational Apprenticeship Programme requires a few criteria for the apprentices which would be tested from an interview to review their knowledge, communication skill and attitude.

Training Centre for McDonald’s Vocational Apprenticeship Programme are now available in Klang Valley, Johor and Penang.

“We are planning to add more Training Centre throughout the country, including Sabah, Sarawak, Klang Valley, East Coast, North and South of Malaysia.” Azmir Jaafar added.

The apprentices are fully sponsored as they would receive monthly allowance RM1,200, accommodation, free meals, and also medical and insurance benefits. In total, McDonald’s Malaysia spends RM30, 000 on each apprentice. The investment that they have estimated at the early establishment of McDonald’s Vocational Apprenticeship Programme on 2017 is around RM 1.5 billion.

This article is written by:
Nurul Afiqah binti Rosman
Intern 2020
UiTM Shah Alam