McDonald’s teams up with EmployAbility to provide opportunities for employees with special needs

Employees with special needs have hailed getting a job at McDonald’s in Cork as a lifeline that has helped improve their confidence, mental health, and self-esteem.

Cian McCarthy and Ted Foley, who are based at restaurants in Blackpool Shopping Centre and Douglas respectively, were speaking to mark five years of McDonald’s partnership with specialist recruitment agency, EmployAbility Cork.

In the five years the two businesses have been collaborating, more than 500 people have moved into the workplace under the Golden Arches.

Graham Kelly, McDonald’s People Manager, with responsibility for six restaurants (five in Cork and one in Tipperary), said the relationship has thus far been a great success.

“Working with EmployAbility has helped us find amazing talent over the years,” he said.

“And it has been very satisfying to watch some employees work their way up the ranks.” One such member of staff is 32-year-old Cian, the first person who came from the agency, and who is currently employed as a shift manager.

His job means looking after food and health safety, customer experience and he also liaises with contractors and delivery drivers.

“It’s challenging and I’m still getting used to the new role, which I started six months ago,” said Cian, who’s been there more than five and a half years in a number of roles.

“I find it very rewarding and I enjoy seeing my plans work out and the positive feedback from other crew members.”

Cian initially thought he might become a teacher but decided against that and signed up with the agency “because I struggled with interviews”.

It wasn’t long, however, before he was snapped up by McDonald’s at Blackpool Shopping Centre and he has never looked back.

“I’ve been promoted three times and I’m really proud of that,” he said.

“When I started, I didn’t think I would make it to the next step up but I’m happy to have proved myself wrong.”

McDonald’s Douglas, meanwhile, hired Ted, who’s 45 and in charge of outdoor maintenance. He’s been there for three years and ensures the landscape is neat and tidy, collects the rubbish and keeps the drive-thru area presentable.

“I really enjoy the freedom my work gives me,” Ted said.

“Every day is a good day. I get on well with the crew and managers and I’m very grateful to have found a job that I can do with my disability.

“I suffer from psychosis and anxiety and it wasn’t easy to find a position that suited me. I feel very lucky.”

Graham said that using an agency made sense to McDonald’s, especially when finding suitable employees became even harder in the post-Covid world.

“We have worked together for a long time now, so they know our people’s profiles and it makes the recruitment process so much easier for us, as well as the potential employee,” he said.

“EmployAbility Cork works with employers and people in the local community, which is important.

“McDonald’s strives to be at the heart of every community in which it operates and I think this collaboration demonstrates how that works to everyone’s advantage.”