ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Wes Moore this week announced a partnership with McDonald’s to hire nearly 4,000 new employees across 330 company- and franchisee-owned restaurants in Maryland. The announcement comes as the corporation celebrates the 10th anniversary of its Archways to Opportunity education program.
During a press conference, Moore, McDonald’s owner-operators, and Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Portia Wu acknowledged the corporation’s economic impact on the state. The governor touted the Archways to Opportunity program, which has helped more than 1,000 Marylanders advance their education, gain new skills, and further their careers.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with McDonald’s to bring nearly 4,000 new jobs to Maryland,” said Moore. “In partnership with the Archways to Opportunity program, we are creating pathways to work, wages, and wealth by helping Marylanders not only gain employment, but also gain new skills during their employment. Collaborations like this one are why Maryland is seeing some of the lowest unemployment and fastest job growth in the nation.”
McDonald’s supports more than 24,000 jobs in Maryland and generates over $550 million in tax revenue at all levels of government, according to a press release from the governor’s office. Nearly 75% of Maryland McDonald’s restaurants are minority or women-owned and operated.
“As small business owners here in Maryland, we’re proud to do our part in driving economic growth by offering meaningful job opportunities in our local community,” said Mary Navies and Imani Ford, McDonald’s owner/operators. “The skills you learn working at one of our restaurants — like teamwork, communication and great service — stay with you for life. And there’s truly no better feeling than when we can help crew members reach their educational goals through the Archways to Opportunity program.”
The Archways to Opportunity program launched in April 2015 and offers McDonald’s restaurant employees a variety of educational benefits, including earning a high school diploma, taking English as a Second Language classes, receiving tuition assistance, participating in apprenticeship programs, and getting free educational and career guidance. The program offers tuition assistance for any accredited institution, program, or non-degree vocational opportunity. Maryland has disbursed over $3.1 million in tuition assistance, allowing more than 1,000 crew members to graduate.
“We applaud McDonald’s for investing in our communities and for supporting opportunities for Marylanders to gain work experience and to continue to learn. Work experience can be transformative in young people’s lives,” said Wu.
This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.
Photo via the Maryland Governor’s Office
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