Wellington High School drop-out Ben Hyde succeeds through McDonald's Hamburger University

As a penniless kid in a small town, 'Maccas' was the only place he could get a job back then, the $7 an hour salary put him ahead of his peers.

He's now 39, a father of three, and managing all four McDonald's restaurants in Dubbo and Wellington.

The pathway to his qualification to the top job after dropping out in Year 11 at Wellington High School, was the aptly-named "Hamburger University".

It's where ambitious McDonald's employees receive tailor-made formal training programs to learn all facets of the business.

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Crews with a fiery drive and aptitude to go up the ladder in the business and receive nationally accredited training at the Hamburger University in Thornleigh, said Mr Hyde.

"If an employer sees a job applicant's resume had training at McDonald's, they're pretty much guaranteed to get a job. That's how well McDonald's trains its crews regardless of wherever you are in the world," he said.

Mr Hyde completed Certificate 3 in Retail Traineeship, Crew Coach Development, Safety Squad Development, and several management and leadership training programs as he rose from his first job making burgers in a flash at Wellington.

The crews at Dubbo and Wellington also receive training at the university's barista and cafe program, and some programs are online and flexible for students.

Hamburger University is now a Registered Training Organisation1 offering nationally recognised and award-winning certifications in the business, retail, food service and hospitality sectors.

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Mr Hyde said he is on the lookout for 140 new crews to fill the roles available since the pandemic had shifted the operations in the restaurants.

"It has been a rewarding job for me, especially when I got to the management level attending training and conferences in Sydney," he said.

"I did not plan to attend university when I dropped out after Year 11, but I went on to get my training at the Hamburger University as a crew trainer and I moved up from there.

"I knew nothing when I started at McDonald's because it was something I never thought I would be doing, but I've worked my way through the ranks so that's where I am now."