Giving Compass' Take:

• McDonald's upskilling program is in the form of a new initiative called Youth Opportunity that aims to put individuals on the path toward employment through workforce training programs.

• How can other foundations emulate this type of workforce development effort?

• Read about McDonald's other initiatives such as it's sustainability plan around packaging.

UpSkill America is an employer-led movement to expand opportunity for America’s workers and allow our economy and communities to thrive. As part of our mission to advance the upskilling movement, we are pleased to share the following news featuring one of our partners.

McDonald’s announced a new initiative called Youth Opportunity, with a global goal to reduce barriers to employment for two million young people by 2025 through pre-employment job readiness training, employment opportunities and workplace development programs.

To kick off this initiative, the company will distribute $1 million in grants to local community organizations in Chicago to deliver job readiness training for young people who have less access to opportunities. McDonald’s will distribute a further $1 million in grant money to Skills for Chicagoland’s Future to develop a new apprenticeship program with City Colleges of Chicago.

McDonald’s is bringing together four trusted community organizations – After School Matters, Skills for Chicagoland’s Future, Phalanx Family Services and Central States SER – who will pair relevant skills training programs with a specialized version of IYF’s Passport to Success curriculum, developed in partnership with McDonald’s.

Participants will learn valuable soft skills such as self-awareness and management, communication skills, problem solving and conflict management. McDonald’s is frequently recognized for its upskilling efforts and is a featured player in our UpSkilling Playbook for Employers.

Read the full article about McDonalds upskilling programs at The Aspen Institute