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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think McDonalds can lead to a decent career?

63 replies

ProverbialOuthouse · 19/09/2017 12:51

Ok I'm looking for reassurance.

DS2 has just left school at 16. Applied for apprentiships but got nowhere. His gcse grades were not great. It got to September and he still wasn't sorted so I said he had to go to college. He agreed. His useless selfish bastard of a father then totally put him off and talked him out of it as it meant he would need to carry on paying maintenance so instead he applied for him a job at McDonald's. he had his interview which went well and now has a trial which sounds promising. Ex has already decided that if he gets the job he will stop maintenance with immediate effect.

So now it looks like DS may end up working full time at McDonald's. I'm so pissed off as he could have done more.

However looking on the bright side I suppose he will gain work experience, retail experience, catering experience and a job reference as well as money in his pocket (to be fair the pay is pretty decent for a 16 year old).

AIBU to kid myself that a start at McDonald's could potential lead to better things in his future or is he doomed to a life of minimum wage?

OP posts:

Veronicat · 19/09/2017 12:56

Yes. My friend started in MacDonalds at 17, ended up as a manager which led to her managing a clothes shop which led to her managing retail shops on a round the world cruise ship 9 months a year. Now she's running her own business and doing extremely well .

CrazyExIngenue · 19/09/2017 12:56

I worked at McDonald's when I was 16, and I'm now earning 6 figures. However, I also still went to school while working at McDonalds and use the money I earned to help pay my way through university, etc.

He's young still, and he'll learn skills working at McDonalds that he will use for the rest of his life. Also, it's my guess that after a year or two of flippin burgers he'll discover what he wants to do with his life.

Your Ex is being an asshat however.

Idrinkandiknowstuff · 19/09/2017 12:58

Bloody right it can. My first job was McDonald's. I'm now head of food safety for a household name company.

jaseyraex · 19/09/2017 12:59

My friend ended up part time in McDonald's after uni. She worked her way up to manager in 4 years and now she's a manager at a more high end food chain and is being considered for area manager. If your son puts in the hours and hard work I don't see why he couldn't work his way up the ranks too and end up wherever it is he'd like to be.

AmyGardner · 19/09/2017 13:00

Either he'll turn his experience into a career (and I know plenty who have), or he'll realise it's not for him and have a rethink about college.

Original poster

ProverbialOuthouse · 19/09/2017 13:02

Thanks so much for the reassurance. I do feel better now.

Can't believe his selfish cock of a father who last night sent me a sob story saying that his finances were fucked up and that's why he needs to stop maintenance asap. I had to physically restrain myself from messaging back "your 50" brand new TV and multiple holidays to Portugal probably arnt helping your situation".

OP posts:

dontlikebeards · 19/09/2017 13:03

I started at KFC at 16 made supervisor by 19 and am now in a management position for a different company. I have progressed mainly because of the experience I got at KFC.

Piratesandpants · 19/09/2017 13:06

Your son is old enough to understand
about his father, maintenance and his father's motivations. Have you explained it all to him objectively? Yes, he can progress from the time he has got in McDonalds. But it would be best if he made s decision about his future that is fully informed.

GemmaCollinsBabes · 19/09/2017 13:07

People are very snobbish about McDonalds. I know three people who work high up for them after having started as weekend staff and risen the ranks.
I also know of someone who was on my course at uni, who dropped out to work full time at Burger King, she is now a very successful regional manager who loves her job a lot more than I enjoyed being a doctor. Plus she earned a good amount more too.

You don't get as many snobbish attitudes about having long careers top firms if they are based in the city and you don't have to wear a uniform.

MrsJayy · 19/09/2017 13:07

Ach he is a total fud eh your poor son not working at Mcdonalds but having a dad not caring enough to keep up his payments till the lad reached 18 does your boy not get a say in any of this ?

Hamiltoes · 19/09/2017 13:07

The thing about mcdonalds is there are lots of people working there whilst studying for their main career.. so if your son actually wants to stick in and get up the ladder there will be lots of opportunities to do so. I worked there at 16 and loved every minute. I was promoted to customer care manager after 1 year. I was still at college 3 days a week. I'm now 25 and an engineering manager for a large defence contracter. I think the previous manegerial exeperience definitely helped to get me from engineer to manager. It does look good in a CV to show that as a teenager you were promoted to manager.

I'm sure your son just needs a year or two to decide what he wants to do with his life. It may well be retail but even if not, he'll gain a lot of work and life experience.

lostincumbria · 19/09/2017 13:08

Agree that you can develop a good work ethic and gain skills and !MCDonalds, though their zero hours contracts can be awful and some stores have a tendency to overstaff then send people home without pay if they're quiet.

Just for clarity, which country are you in? Students can't leave school at 16 in England.

SkintAsASkintThing · 19/09/2017 13:10

Most kids I know who work in Mc Donalds do their shifts around college / apprenticeships. They're really flexible, there's no reason your son can't do the same.

amnesty124 · 19/09/2017 13:12

My husband worked at McDonalds right through university. It was his only job. He got a job off the back of his degree and reference from McDonalds and now is very successful.

Original poster

ProverbialOuthouse · 19/09/2017 13:12

England, I thought you could leave school if you had a job?

OP posts:

WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 19/09/2017 13:17

I work in McDonalds and I absolutely love it; wouldn't change it for anything.

McDonalds management program is one of the best in the county and very highly valued by almost all industries.

dramaqueen · 19/09/2017 13:19

Of course you can leave school at 16. You just have to be in employment education or training.

lostincumbria · 19/09/2017 13:19

Here's the rules for England:

stay in full-time education, for example at a college
start an apprenticeship or traineeship
spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training

www.gov.uk/know-when-you-can-leave-school

CMOTDibbler · 19/09/2017 13:20

My nephew decided that he hated school and A levels and went to work at McD after 6 weeks of 6th form. It was brilliant for him - he had the flexibility to still do what he was passionate about (Am Dram), they offered him maths courses to get a better level, and when it came to applying for his uni course he was told that one of the reasons he got a place was the really solid work ethic he had shown. He was also able to go back during holidays.

bigbluebus · 19/09/2017 13:21

I thought it had to be a job with training ie apprenticeship or college place part time but no one is actually policing it as far as i can tell. Another ill thought out Government policy!

lostincumbria · 19/09/2017 13:22

So he'll have to get a guaranteed 20 hours or more from McDs and start a training/college course to avoid full-time college/training.

lostincumbria · 19/09/2017 13:23

As bigbluebus says, no idea if this is enforced.

FenceSitter01 · 19/09/2017 13:23

McDs has a fantastic training programme, excellent staff benefoits and a decent salary.

Of course you can leave school at 16. You just have to be in employment education or training.

Not quite, the age of participation has raised to 18 - so Im afraid its everything but full time paid employment in England

www.gov.uk/know-when-you-can-leave-school

England

You can leave school on the last Friday in June if you’ll be 16 by the end of the summer holidays.

You must then do one of the following until you’re 18:

stay in full-time education, for example at a college
start an apprenticeship or traineeship
spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training

Frazzled2207 · 19/09/2017 13:23

I worked there p-t and think it's not a bad place to work, certainly opportunities for those that stick it out though the vast majority don't.
As pp mentioned he should be carrying on in education though, and pretty sure your xdp is wrong to stop maintenance.

BeatriceBeaudelaire · 19/09/2017 13:24

Their supervisor and manager wages are excellent for non-qualified workers , higher than many grad jobs I know if he ends up full time and higher up in a few years.
As long as he's motivated he could go places from it x

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