Mayor Unveils New Youth Summer Job Program By Working At McDonald's Drive-Thru
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Mayor Bill Peduto worked the drive-thru window at McDonald's on the North Side Wednesday afternoon.
"Hi, welcome to McDonald's," the mayor said to one customer.
Of course, he heard customers complain about water bills, while others remind him "no condiments on my hamburger."
But the photo op was to promote a summer jobs program co-sponsored by the city, Partner4Work, CCAC, and McDonald's.
"If you want to get a gun out of a young person's hand, put a paycheck in it," the mayor told the crowd.
The mayor said those companies that hire youth for the summer make a difference.
"It's an opportunity for more than just a job. It's an opportunity to change a life," Peduto added.
Over the course of the summer, McDonald's hopes to hire some 10,000 summer employees just here in Pennsylvania, an average of 15 to 20 employees at each McDonald's.
To do that, local McDonald's owners teamed up with the workforce development folks at Partner4Work who help identify young people for the jobs.
"McDonald's is really a great program for individuals who are entering the workforce," McCrae Martino, chief program officer for Partner4Work, told KDKA money editor Jon Delano on Wednesday.
And, as local franchise owner Michele Rice noted, summer workers are also eligible for the company's Archways to Opportunity scholarships.
"That means that a student starting out at their first part-time summer job will now be eligible for $2,500 in tuition assistance by the end of the summer," noted Rice.
Darren Roberts, another local franchise owner, said McDonald's needs its young employees.
"More than half of the employees at our McDonald's are between the ages of 16- and 24-years-old, and for many of them, it is their first job," said Roberts.
Which makes it a training ground.
"They'll learn the foundational skills that they need to be successful moving forward," added Rice.
