Do you know anyone who has worked their way up to a really good career in e.g. McDonalds?

[Doubleknow]

Or one of the jobs that people often throw about to insult young people who aren't applying themselves "you'll end up working in a supermarket all your life".

My DC both early 20s, both had a difficult start to adulthood when their Dad suffered a traumatic illness and subsequent death while they were doing GCSEs (DS2) and Alevels (DS1).

Both got decent results but didn't stay in education afterwards.

They both have these kinds of jobs, which they took initially just to have work, but have both progressed to junior manager roles (different employers) and seem to be enjoying it.

I'm wondering what their career paths might look like if they stay there, and what advice I should be giving?

I've offered many times to support them if they want to return to education, but they don't.

That's actually more or less my career path, and it's true those entry level and manual inputting jobs don't exist any more, and even very basic jobs want graduates.

Yes! And for exactly the chain restaurant you mentioned. An old friend of mine’s father started working for Maccas at 16, became a franchisee at 24ish. He now lays claim to many of the outlets in our local region and is a millionaire. A mixture of right place, right time and having a solid work ethic.

A close relative of mine started off working in a gym and is now the CEO of a big gym chain, with shares, and loaded. So yes!

I'm in my 40's now so it's a little time ago, but I left education after GCSE to work in a shop on the high street.
Lots of hardwork and equal amounts of luck, 20yrs later I was a financial controller earning well into six figures.
10yrs on and I'm part time on path to early retirement.

I recognise there was a lot of luck regardless of my efforts, right place right time, buoyant job market and super line managers all played a part in that.

It's good to hear all these positive stories thank you. I think my experience in banking, as described by PP, has made me think these things don't happen anymore. I don't think a cashier in a retail bank is progressing to Corporate banking (like I did) any more.

to be honest, in financial services, I think you're probably right. There's a lot of regulatory and governanec issues that often require formal education, plus a certain amount of "up your own assesness" (my term). I've certainly seen many job specs that specifically require a degree .... even if it's in English or something.

But I do think retail is different.

And I also think it's possible to seek additional education as part of the development process - either via distance learning or through being sent on developmental programmes through these companies.

i know a couple of them. My mums friends son started in Ona of the supermarkets part time job then worked all the way up to a senior area manager role. A friend of mine started in a part time role at a restaurant chain then worked up to executive chef. There are quite a few ceos or major companies who have worked up in that way. It’s definitely possible but really you have to have the skills like people management, financial literacy, and tenacity as inherent traits to go far anywhere but these companies have schemes to help people grow into roles that suit them. It will depend on them to make the effort to promote themselves and be a bit sharper than the average person to move up quickly, but their managers will spot this if they have the talent

Yes my mum and dads next door neighbour, started at 16 in the kitchens he’s now in his 50s one of the big bosses and lives in a massive house!

Yes my younger brother started working for a supermarket straight from school and has worked his way up to store manager.
He earns more than me with my degree and working in a professional role, he has room for further progression to area manager etc.

There was a cleaner in my company where I worked who got a job with us as a clerical assistant, she ended up in a managerial role, she was incredibly driven with no qualifications.

I don’t know what she’s doing now but one of my former students got a job in McDonalds at 16 and worked her way up while she was at university, becoming a duty manager by 21. She graduated with a first class honours degree, no debt, and a brand new Ford Fiesta. She paid for her own driving lessons and her own tax and insurance. She was an amazing young woman and a real pleasure to teach.

This is pretty much my career too, starting as a cashier in a local village bank. I have a degree, but it isn't bank/ finance related, however I couldn't find a job after I finished uni and took what was meant to be a stop gap. Well 15 years later I am still here, now in a Corporate Banking role.

It has taken me a while to progress to my level, but through hard work and a willingness to keep learning, it can be done.

They're going to be laughing when the only jobs left are the ones you have to actually turn up for and all the made up 'thinky' jobs are replaced by AI, which is already happening.

What are 'made up thinky jobs'??

A childhood friend's father was a general manager at the local Sainsbury's for years. I think he still was, right up until retirement. Very well paid and they lived in a posh house and had loads of nice holidays. He is a lovely man.

I know of someone who started out as a sales assistant and became an assistant store manger of a prestige brand. They then left to pursue office work as the flexible hours retail demanded didn't suit their lifestyle anymore.

Only thing in retail (well this brand at least) was you have to move stores. they felt it rarely goes well promoting in house, so flexibility was quite key.

Fred Turner, from burger flipper to CEO at Macdonald's

A multitude of roles, too many to name, often but not always where you would have to use a computer yourself e.g. data, research. Honestly there as so many being replaced. It's likely even lawyers will be replaced because a computer could follow the law closet than any human.

Years ago I had a colleague whose son worked a part-time job at McD's during his A levels, he shocked his parents by saying he wasn't taking up his Uni place, he was staying at McD's. Within a few years he had worked up to something like an Area Manager role and had been sent to the Olympics as a McD's rep.
A female relative worked parttime in Asda while her son was very young, she worked her way up through their hierarchy as he got older.

Yeah in Waitrose/John Lewis and Tesco. Someone else I know used to work retail for Puma and somehow became a buyer for them and now works in finance.

DD went to uni and is working retail in a type of industry she’s really interested in and hopes to manage or open her own shop one day - she doesn’t want to work in an office and likes moving about/customer interaction. Once she gets to manager level her brains will come in to play for sure. Also can’t get taken over by AI!

My ex husband started frying the fries in McD’s when he was 16 and is now a very senior executive for them. McDonald themselves can be a great employer and are good at developing staff, but even working there as a first job gives your decent experience on lots of areas.

didn’t Kemi badenoch also work in McDonald’s once?

DH started a minimum wage job in a retail shop at 16. He now works for their corporate side and earns £60k plus bonus. Some of his other colleagues who started the same way earn even more than that.

I do know of a few people who’ve progressed in these sorts of jobs including one cashier/greeter for Barclays bank who though not very high up there has a good position and has got good deals on her mortgage and loans. So as a single divorced mum she bought her husband out of their house and paid off mortgage at 50. She got the mortgage with his salary before they got married. But assume she got a good deal and rate because of her work.

What I would say is I do know many people who are quite happy eg to work in a sales role in a shop for years and not progress. I knew a Waitrose worker who only worked there as it suited her lifestyle and family needs. Now she owns and runs her own successful shop. And eg if you have disabilities like my friend’s son who’s on the spectrum and worked for M&S for years then trust me depending on the manager they can be absolute bastards re changing of duties. And almost blatantly ignoring his disability or only doing tick box exercises re it.

Yes. I worked at spoons during uni and got promoted to shift leader pretty quick. Good bonuses, decent pay. Pretty hard work sometimes but other days I would just piss about in the office all day.

I don’t do it anymore, but I think for anyone who’s struggle academically it’s a good choice. My pub manager who was on a decent salary and got some banging bonuses had no Nat 5s or higher. I don’t know anyone else who has no qualifications and earns that much money, in fact I know a lot of people with degrees who don’t. The bonuses are monthly and quarterly as well, so there’s a real incentive to work hard, or at least there was when I was there (started in 2017).

Niece is there now while she’s at uni, and she does well. Also has the opportunity to pick up shifts at other pubs - which is really good for when she maybe overspends a little bit. Recently she actually poured me a pint at my old pub which made me feel weird and old.

People slag Wetherspoons all they want, but compared to the other pub chains it’s probably the best one to work at and the easiest to move up in. They’re pretty supportive as well. My niece didn’t get promoted last time, but they had a meeting with her and told her how to improve. Last week she went for the promotion again and she’s got it now.