Can you tell us about your journey so far?

I moved to the UK when I was 16 to join my parents living here. I didn’t know anyone here so I decided to look for a job and McDonald’s seemed to be a place where I could gain skills and confidence as well as friends.

When I first started, I was a part-time crew member whilst I was going to college. As I spent more time in McDonald’s I become more interested in the business aspect of the company and how I could help improve the management team and the Franchisee.

How have you found working and studying in the UK in comparison to the Philippines?

I didn’t really see a lot of difference in the student aspect between the UK and the Philippines as I didn’t have the chance to go to school here. That goes with working as well, as McDonald’s is my first job.

Why did you choose to do a Degree Apprenticeship?

I choose to do a Degree Apprenticeship because of the opportunities it could open for me once I’ve completed the course. When my Franchisee told me that there was a Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship available, I didn’t hesitate to approach her and ask for more information.

Looking at the initial units in the FAQ sheets, I become more interested as I knew that I would be gaining knowledge and skills that I would be able to use to progress my career.

What support have you received from your employer and Manchester Met?

The support I have been getting from the University and my Skills Coach is brilliant. They have never failed to support us and give us feedback when necessary. They have also been able to help me with whatever questions and/or issues I’m having, from login credentials to help with assignments.

I have been fortunate to have a Franchisee and a team who have been very supportive of me ever since I started the Degree Apprenticeship this year. For example, they make sure that I have my off-the-job hours by letting me spend a day at home completing assessments, distance learnings, etc. so I don’t get distracted. My Franchisee has also been helping to proofread my assignments and giving me feedback on them.

How have you been able to apply your learning to practice at McDonald’s?

So far, we have only done Digital Context and Dynamic Business, and Managing Stakeholders Relations. These units have helped me see more of what could be done in the business to constantly improve.

At McDonald’s customers are at the centre of our service and making sure we build relationships with them is vital.

You’ve recently been promoted to First Assistant, what aspects of your work contributed to your promotion?

Since I became a Crew Trainer, I have always been fascinated with the aspect of training people and seeing them progress and gain confidence in what they do. I think that that’s the big aspect that helped me get promoted to First Assistant. As a Second Assistant, I spend time with Crew Members and mentoring them and seeing them be promoted is one of my proudest achievements in the job.

What are your career aspirations after completing your Degree Apprenticeship?

After completing the Degree Apprenticeship, I would like to progress my career within McDonald’s and apply the learnings I have taken from the degree.

Do you have any advice for future Degree Apprentices?

Time management is one of the main challenges that you’ll face whilst doing a Degree Apprenticeship.

Being able to plan out and organise your time so that you can see what deadlines, assessments and reviews you have and at the same time, being able to meet with friends, spend time with family, or just watch a film. For me, being able to balance my work, study and personal life is very important as this helps me become less stressed and not overwhelmed and planning and managing my time better is the best way to approach this.