McDonald’s Develops “English Under The Arches” Program

ProEnglish commends McDonald’s for the development of “English Under The Arches” (EUA), an English language learning program specifically designed for managers and manager trainees.

As reported by the Aspen Institute as part of its “Skills For America’s Future” program, McDonald’s first developed EUA through a series of pilots in 2007, and in recent years the company has found that in order to continue helping some employees take on more responsibilities, they must help them improve their English language skills. To be most effective, the English language training needed to be both available on the job to accommodate busy schedules and also tailored to the specific communications tasks required of a McDonald’s manager.

The EUA program currently operates in over 30 sites around the country and is expected to expand in coming years. Classes are held during employees’ work time at McDonald’s, often in the “crew room” via computer. Students receive regular wages for the time they spend in language training and are able to immediately apply what they learn to their work.

The EUA program offers a variety of different types of learning experiences, including virtual classes; face-to-face classes; e-learning practice; and on-the-job practice.

EUA courses include Shift Basics; Shift Conversation; Shift Writing; and Conducting Performance Reviews.

On average, 86% of students have progressed one or more English language levels after completing each conversation course.

Since the program began in 2007, over 95% of participants who complete an EUA course have received a pay raise due to the increased responsibilities they are able to take on.