USAID and PBEd Partner with McDonald’s Philippines to Offer Work-Based Training Positions for 5,000 Youth

Standing L-R: Ronald McDonald, Chona L. Torre,
 SVP for Human Capital Group, Golden Arches Development
 Corporation; George T. Yang, Chairman & Founder,
Golden Arches Development Corporation; US Ambassador
Sung Kim; Ramon del Rosario, PBed Chair; Dominique
 Tutay, DOLE BLE DirectorSeated L-R: Kenneth Yang,
President & CEO Golden Arches Development Corporation
and Lovelaine Basillote, PBed Executive Director
and Youthworks PH Chief of Party

YouthWorks PH, a youth employment project implemented by the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Golden Arches Development Corporation (McDonald’s Philippines) to train 5,000 unemployed and out-of-school youth.

YouthWorks PH is a workforce development project valued at more than Php1.7 billion that expands training and employment opportunities for Filipino youth, connecting them to technical vocational training institutions and companies.

Since 2018, USAID and PBEd have forged partnerships with key industry players, learning institutions, and local government units to invest in Filipino youth across seven cities across the Philippines.  Under the agreement with McDonald’s Philippines, youth aged 18-24 who are not in education, employment, or training will undergo skills training in YouthWorks PH partner institutions and at branches of McDonald’s Philippines, the project’s single largest private sector partner.

“A global American brand that started from humble beginnings in the1940s, made its way from California to the Philippines in the 1980s, and along the way revolutionized the fast food service industry is now working with us to provide education and employment opportunities to underprivileged Filipino youth,” said U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim at the MOU signing ceremony.

President & CEO, Golden Arches Development
Corporation Kenneth Yang and US Ambassador Sung Kim

“We are proud to partner with YouthWorks PH in providing quality skills training opportunities for underprivileged Filipino youth.  Through this partnership, McDonald’s Philippines commits to welcome and train at least 5,000 youth in our restaurants nationwide,” McDonald’s Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Yang said.

“YouthWorks PH hopes that together with our partners in the private sector, we can develop the next generation of passionate and hardworking leaders who will contribute positively to the community.  We thank McDonald’s Philippines for investing in our youth, and we hope to work with more mission-oriented companies in the future,” PBEd Chair Ramon del Rosario, Jr. said.