Sports Calendar

He said: “Ten thousand people who start working for us each year have never worked anywhere before. It can be quite daunting for them.

“Apprentices will be able to study part of the NVQ online. The qualification is more extensive than you would think, teaching how to deal with sophisticated kitchen equipment, handling cash and orders and having the confidence to cope with difficult customers.”

Mr Fairhurst said the cost of training was a worthwhile investment, for McDonald’s and the hospitality sector, adding: “We’re not a charity”.

He said: “Many come here with low expectations of what they’re going to get, and work their way up to managers. For others we’re a stepping stone, providing a job for a couple of years while they’re at college.

“But for some we’re an opportunity-giver, many did not ‘click’ with school but fit in with this type of education, particularly as they get peer support.”

The term ‘McJob’ is used as a derogatory term to indicate tedious employment or that with dead-end prospects.

But Mr Fairhurst claimed many illustrious and successful people, including the new education minister David Lammy, had worked at McDonald’s, adding: “We’ve got an alumni of people who can look back with pride because there is less of a stigma to having a McJob.”

Banners strung up to celebrate the apprenticeships yesterday even contained the phrase “My McJob.”

Alix Potts, 22, from Sleaford, Lincs, was one of the first to take the NVQ in multi-skilled hospitality. She has since been promoted and is now involved in training new staff.

She said: “My GCSEs weren’t very good because I didn’t enjoy school and didn’t do well. I worked part-time for McDonald’s and then, when I joined full-time, my manager asked if I wanted to take part in the apprentice trial.

“The maths and English were a challenge, but I had help from an online tutor. It was nice to get a qualification because I’ve had quite a tough year. My mum is really proud of me.”

The move comes a year after McDonald’s, Flybe and Network Rail became the first businesses given the powers to award their own qualifications, equal to GCSEs, A levels and degrees.

Times recommends

• Pupils to be given lessons on debt
• Children 'reaching 3 without saying a word'
• Tories want children in care at boarding school