McDonald's is now offering the equivalent of A levels on its menu, after winning government approval to become an exam board. The "basic shift manager" course which is being piloted will train staff in everything they need to run a McDonald's outlet, from marketing to human resources and customer service skills.
It marks the first time commercial companies have been allowed to award nationally recognised qualifications based on their own workplace training schemes.
Two other firms - Network Rail and Flybe - have also been approved to award their own qualifications, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has said.
Skills Secretary John Denham said: "It is right that we recognise and accredit employers that have shown a commitment to training and developing their staff.
"This is an important step towards ending the old divisions between company training schemes and national qualifications, something that will benefit employees, employers and the country as a whole."
Giving qualifications equivalent status to A levels raises the prospect that staff could take a course at McDonald's and then go on to college or university.
But it will be universities and the higher education admissions service Ucas who decide whether the courses that emerge from these companies will be a good preparation for undergraduate study.
Airline Flybe has been given the green light to develop courses from GCSE to university degree level. The firm will be developing its "airline trainer programme" later this year. Courses will cover everything from engineering to cabin crew training.
Network Rail will be able to develop courses equivalent to GCSEs and A-levels and its first qualification to be piloted in 2008 will be in "track engineering".
The course will cover the technical requirements of track engineering and health and safety issues. The company said the entire Network Rail workforce of 33,000 staff would eventually be involved in the training.
It marks the first time commercial companies have been allowed to award nationally recognised qualifications based on their own workplace training schemes.
Two other firms - Network Rail and Flybe - have also been approved to award their own qualifications, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has said.
Skills Secretary John Denham said: "It is right that we recognise and accredit employers that have shown a commitment to training and developing their staff.
"This is an important step towards ending the old divisions between company training schemes and national qualifications, something that will benefit employees, employers and the country as a whole."
Giving qualifications equivalent status to A levels raises the prospect that staff could take a course at McDonald's and then go on to college or university.
But it will be universities and the higher education admissions service Ucas who decide whether the courses that emerge from these companies will be a good preparation for undergraduate study.
Airline Flybe has been given the green light to develop courses from GCSE to university degree level. The firm will be developing its "airline trainer programme" later this year. Courses will cover everything from engineering to cabin crew training.
Network Rail will be able to develop courses equivalent to GCSEs and A-levels and its first qualification to be piloted in 2008 will be in "track engineering".
The course will cover the technical requirements of track engineering and health and safety issues. The company said the entire Network Rail workforce of 33,000 staff would eventually be involved in the training.
. They do seem to be becoming the new O level though.
