On the career trail

McDonald's helping students on road to career success

Jessica Ibarra and Nu Nge work at different McDonald's restaurants in Amarillo.

Ibarra plans to become a paralegal. Nge is on the management track.

Although each has different plans for their futures, McDonald's is helping them along the road to career success.

Ibarra, a single mom with a 4-month-old, works at the Teckla Boulevard location and attends Amarillo College. This summer, she plans to take English and one of her paralegal courses.

"I didn't know what to take, so I figured I'll try that out," she said of the paralegal career studies path she's chosen.

She said McDonald's works with her on flexible scheduling so she can earn money and pursue her education at the same time.

"I just tell them what days I can't come and when I need to be off," she said. "It gets hard, but in the end it will be worth it."

Marketing Director Brandon Clavel said McDonald's also offers a $2,500 scholarship for an outstanding student employee in the Amarillo-Canyon market.

Each of its locations in Amarillo and Canyon offers $500 scholarships. Employees also are eligible for national $2,500 scholarships.

"They exemplify hard work, dedication. They want to go to school, and they want to have a great career," he said of scholarship winners. "They are a valuable asset to us as well."

Franchise owner Jill Dana said McDonald's works closely with its employees and offers them the tools to succeed in their careers.

"We're flexible with their scheduling. We'll help them get into school. We'll help them get GEDs, help with child care, whatever they need," she said. "The opportunity is there for everyone."

Other employees might choose not to go to college. McDonald's grows its own supervisors with comprehensive management training that covers everything from food preparation to running a store crew.

For now, Nge, who has completed McDonald's management training, plans to continue her development as a manager but said she might pursue college later on.

Nge said she's gleaned a lot from the training and likes being part of the management team.

"You learn how to work as a team in order to achieve what you need to," she said.

Training Director Anne Sarah, who has worked for McDonald's for more than 30 years, said the company remains focused on training and educating its employees, whichever career they might choose.

"We always feel that education is the most important thing," she said. "We try and really focus on what they need to do in school, their extracurricular activities. ... They don't feel like they have to choose between their job and school."