McDonald’s Philippines Marks First Batch of YouthWorks PH Graduates with USAID

McDonald’s Philippines (Golden Arches Development Corporation), led by George T. Yang, founder and master franchise holder of the quick-service giant in the country, proudly celebrated the graduation of its first batch of youth trainees under the YouthWorks PH program.

YouthWorks PH is an initiative in partnership with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) that aims to improve life skills and increase employment prospects of underprivileged Filipino youth. Held at McDonald’s Sucat San Antonio in Parañaque City, the graduation marks a significant milestone in the company’s commitment to youth development and employability in the country.

A total of 53 youth trainees have completed their month-long training program on food and beverage services, leadership, communication, and critical thinking skills. They are now deployed across 35 McDonald’s stores in nine Metro Manila cities for their paid training. McDonald’s Philippines has committed to train up to 5,000 YouthWorks PH trainees by 2026.

“At McDonald’s, we believe that when people are given opportunities to grow, they will succeed. We are very thankful for programs like YouthWorks PH, and partners like USAID and PBEd, who are equally committed in training and upskilling the Filipino youth. Through this partnership, we look forward to welcoming more new trainees in our restaurants nationwide, helping them to develop to become productive members of society and to be their Best Me,” McDonald’s Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Kenneth S. Yang said.

“Since we started our operations more than 43 years ago, Dr. George T. Yang committed to providing employment opportunities to students. He saw that there was an opportunity to support these students by giving them the flexibility to earn while studying. At McDonald’s, we are committed to using our scale to provide equal opportunities for all whether through employment generation or through our training and development programs,” McDonald’s Philippines Managing Director Margot Torres said.

“Today, with more than 760 stores nationwide, McDonald’s Philippines employs over 60,000 individuals—with more than half comprising of regular part-time working students. As a big employment generator for the youth, we have a responsibility to equip them with lifelong skills and, the right values that will help them succeed in the future,” added Torres.

Distinguished guests attended the graduation ceremony, including United States Ambassador to the Philippines, Ms. MaryKay Carlson; USAID Office of Education Director, Ms. Michelle Chen; USAID Philippines – Project Management Specialist, Mr. Justin Modesto; Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General, Dr. Jose Francisco “Kiko” B. Benitez; Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-NCR Regional Director, Atty. Sarah Buena S. Mirasol; PBEd Chairman and PHINMA CEO, Mr. Ramon Del Rosario Jr.; PBEd Board Member, Dr. Edilberto de Jesus; PBEd Executive Director, Ms. Justine B. Raagas; and YouthWorks PH Chief of Party, Mr. Hanibal E. Camua.

Established in 2019, the partnership between USAID and PBEd for YouthWorks PH is one of McDonald’s Philippines’ initiatives that aim to champion youth employability together with the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES)– a partnership with the DOLE, which offers students summer jobs to help finance their education while gaining work experience. McDonald’s also supports working students by giving them flexible working schedules. To date, the partnership has helped 16,000 beneficiaries nationwide. McDonald’s Philippines is also known for its inclusive hiring practices, employing qualified out-of-school youth, senior citizens, and the disabled–regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, to inspire them to become the best version of themselves.