Employees should be given the opportunity and help to explore various career pathways, both inside a company and beyond, according to Lisa Schumacher, director of education strategies and workforce policy, McDonald’s.

WorkingNation sat down with Schumacher at SXSW EDU 2023 in Austin.

To help its employees find their own pathway, Schumacher says there are a number of available education benefits, including tuition assistance.

“In addition to English language services, completing a high school diploma, getting access to funds to go to college and, hopefully, graduate from college, we also have career and academic advising services. The college piece is around affordability and accessibility. Tuition assistance is by far the most popular component of that program.”

She explains that McDonald’s can be a pipeline to advancement in the company and beyond. “We created an app that allows restaurant employees to see how the skills they’re learning in our restaurants are transferable, both in career pathways within our system, but also into career pathways in things like health care, technology, finance, and the trades.”

Learn more about McDonald’s.