McQualification.

[Pat]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7211958.stm

I thought this deserved a thread all to itself.I can't make up my mind if this
is just to give all those academics who are tossing burgers in McDonalds a more stimulating job although the qualification won't be worth the paper it's written on, or if any education is worthwhile and should be encouraged.
How much value will a potential employer give to a qualification earned in McDonalds?
"i'm lovin' it "... yeah right ,where's the capital letter.

[mh]

I duuno Pat, compared to some of the scuttering gobsheens we get (and their idea of what "customer service" is) it sounds like a step in the right direction to me.

[James Blast]

any company that has a "chief people officer" sets my radar off

[Pat]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7209276.stm

It looks like some Universities have already stated they won't accept the qualification.

[Maisey]

Rubbish. Anything with customer services in the title isn't worth a pinch of salt.

All that customer service requires is a fair knowlege of how to do your own job and some basic manners. If you have to sit an exam for that the world is a wreck IMO. Especially in McSh!te, I'd be happy if the staff new how to work the tills, made the food within 10 minutes and pronounced their "t" s properly.

Maybe the flight courses have more potential, as it opens people to a range of skills in an industry in which being skilled is a definate bonus.

[Syberberg]

Maybe the flight courses have more potential, as it opens people to a range of skills in an industry in which being skilled is a definate bonus.

Unfortunately, the days (or rather years) of the aviation industry are strictly limited. But that's what happens when an industry relies upon a finite resource that's reached it's peak in global production.

As for the McQuals...well, everyone needs to wipe their arse on something I suppose.

[6FeetOver]

In poverty-stricken, segregated, (mainly) inner-city high schools over here, students in Home Economics classes, instead of being taught cooking and other valuable skills, are instead trained to work in fast-food restaurants. Others are "tracked" into such courses as "cosmetology" (where they learn hair dressing and nail tech skills), because it's assumed that, in the very unlikely event that any of these students actually graduate from high school, such jobs are all they're capable of doing, and will be the only jobs open to them, anyway.

I suppose I shouldn't keep reading stuff like this, as it only serves to worsen my misanthropy, and I've no real outlet for my anger and frustration.

[Syberberg]

In poverty-stricken, segregated, (mainly) inner-city high schools over here, students in Home Economics classes, instead of being taught cooking and other valuable skills, are instead trained to work in fast-food restaurants. Others are "tracked" into such courses as "cosmetology" (where they learn hair dressing and nail tech skills), because it's assumed that, in the very unlikely event that any of these students actually graduate from high school, such jobs are all they're capable of doing, and will be the only jobs open to them, anyway.

I suppose I shouldn't keep reading stuff like this, as it only serves to worsen my misanthropy, and I've no real outlet for my anger and frustration.

[sarcasm]The United States of America, the most advanced country in the world.[/sarcasm]

[6FeetOver]

Yeah, no shit. "Embarrassment" doesn't even begin to cover it...

[EvilBastard]

[sarcasm]The United States of America, the most advanced country in the world.[/sarcasm]

Now now, I don't think there's any call for that kind of attitude. The USA leads the world in many areas - prison population per capita, for example, a stat that I think the country can be justly proud of, speaking as it does of its dedication to justice, law and order.
Honestly, it's people like you that give the US a bad image abroad, you know.
[snerk]

Meanwhile, you'd be hard-pushed to fault the standard of medical care in Wales...

[eotunun]

"cosmetology" (where they learn hair dressing and nail tech skills)

..but that's a very posh and spacey sounding name for it.
So those M-levels only are good for Mac Dee employees? I initially thought I could go to the next fart food restauant and order my Big Mac and the final test and maybe have the exams at the counter.
(Looking at Ronald I wonder what the M-Levels holders will do working as cosmetologists.. )

[psichonaut]

McDonaldology?
....how many of you will put their degree in the trash-bin now?

[sultan2075]

In poverty-stricken, segregated, (mainly)
inner-city high schools over here, students in Home Economics classes,
instead of being taught cooking and other valuable skills, are instead
trained to work in fast-food restaurants. Others are "tracked" into
such courses as "cosmetology" (where they learn hair dressing and nail
tech skills), because it's assumed that, in the very unlikely event
that any of these students actually graduate from high school, such
jobs are all they're capable of doing, and will be the only jobs
open to them, anyway.

Speaking as someone who has actually taught in inner-city schools, unless: a) the 'ghetto nihilism' of rap music and the culture it spawns disappear, and b) the government starts providing incentives for lower income parents to actually stay together and take joint responsibility for their children (currently, government welfare policy in the United States provides more funding to single parent households), then the situation you're describing will not change--in fact, it will continue to be viewed as better than the alternative.

One of my black colleagues showed this in his classes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN2VqFPNS8w

If had done it, I'd be fired. And that, too, is part of the problem. No one wants to talk about it, but contemporary black culture is destroying the black community.

[paint it black]

Rubbish. Anything with customer services in the title isn't worth a pinch of salt.

All that customer service requires is a fair knowlege of how to do your own job and some basic manners. If you have to sit an exam for that the world is a wreck IMO. Especially in McSh!te, I'd be happy if the staff new how to work the tills, made the food within 10 minutes and pronounced their "t" s properly.

Maybe the flight courses have more potential, as it opens people to a range of skills in an industry in which being skilled is a definate bonus.

having been an NVQ assessor [for similar to this in precision engineering] i can assure you that they're well worth getting, if nothing else they show commitment on behalf of the employee to further education whilst in full-time employment [which isn't always easy] and assists with TNA paths for future promotion.

Rolls Royce and the likes have been doing this for years, they had to - to stay competitive and presumably the same for McD - the idea is to upskill from within, which is win-win for all, no

[Maisey]

@PIB :Fair point well made. I advocate education without a doubt. I take my words back on that front.

I still doubt the intrinsic value of the content of the McCourse though.

[silentNate]

One of my black colleagues showed this in his classes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN2VqFPNS8w

Classic

I worked at McDonalds when I was kid and I have to say when you go in they give you a uniform and a manual. That manual gives you the cooking times of everything and the greetings- would take you a day to learn. If UCAS accept McQualifications I will be very suprised

[Syberberg]

[sarcasm]The United States of America, the most advanced country in the world.[/sarcasm]

Now now, I don't think there's any call for that kind of attitude. The USA leads the world in many areas - prison population per capita, for example, a stat that I think the country can be justly proud of, speaking as it does of its dedication to justice, law and order.
Honestly, it's people like you that give the US a bad image abroad, you know.
[snerk]

Oh I don't know, successive American Presidential Administrations' foreign policy have been managing to do that quite admirably all by themselves. They need no help from nihilistic, bitter and twisted Gen-Xer Brits like me. But it's always nice to lend a hand, innit?

[markfiend]

Firstly, as mrs fiend is a teacher*, and having a view of the profession from close to the 'chalk-face', I have to say I have a great deal of respect for anyone who can do that job. I know I couldn't do it...

* A significant proportion of the students at her previous school have at least one parent in prison, a similar percentage have problems with substance abuse (including heroin).

...Just to pipe in with the 'Parental Responsibility' thing as mentioned by Sultan2075. When I was at school, if I did something wrong, my parents would side with the school against me. Far too frequently these days, the parents side with their kids.

That being said, education is definitely worth pursuing, and I'm pretty glad I got a good one. (and I'm still pursuing education -- see the 'happy' thread when I get round to posting in it.)

[James Blast]

Get a feckin' hair cut, hippy!

There's no (quick) fix for this and I have no answers but the 60s and 70s were just as dangerous a place. I well remember the the skinheads I was at school with. My small town wasn't a nice place after dark, I got a serious kickin' once and a guy I was at school with got bladed coming out of a disco in Glasgow. Knocked senseless I was, I'm sure he still bears the scar and his life has gone down a different path because of it.

I really have no idea what the solution could be.

A world war?

[markfiend]

Get a feckin' hair cut, hippy!

You're only jealous, slaphead

[James Blast]

I only you could see me thru the dazzle of from napper Mark