Is a McJob Really That Bad?
Article By Kit Molloy:
The imminent construction of a McDonald’s outlet in the Melbourne suburb of Tecoma has prompted a (Mc)flurry of arguments for and against the development from a number of the regions residents. The greatest benefit however, and that which seems to have become forgotten in this battle is the positive impact of employment on the young people of the area.
At this point I need to confess that in my youth, I was once a McDonald’s employee. Sure, as typical teenagers we grumbled and groaned about our managers, customers and duties, but as time went by and long after I’d left the company I came to realise that not only had the company instilled in me a sense of discipline and work ethic, it had also been a great social adventure which in itself, is always the very greatest and most enjoyable of all learning experiences.
As any long term unemployed person might tell you, there’s more to a job than just a fortnightly pay packet, and although a ‘McJob’ might be seen as derisory or beneath the dignity of some, for many young people it’s often the easiest and only first step on the ladder of a working career. In fact, many employers look favourably on former McDonald’s employees for the training and ethic they’ve acquired within the company. To degrade the work of McDonald’s employees as robotic or menial (as some in the protest group have done) is to underestimate
the value of employment for our youth.
Some argue that there are a plethora of other local businesses that provide employment to the regions teens. Supermarkets, convenience stores and the many fast food takeaways that already line the highway between Upwey and Belgrave do employ many, but with high youth unemployment a traditional constant not only in Tecoma but across the nation, the opportunity to employ more of the areas youth should be embraced and encouraged. The average McDonald’s outlet employs 80-100 people. Of those, 10-15 are usually full time. In the perhaps, 30+ year lifespan of the operation in Tecoma, McDonald’s will train and employ many thousands of the residents sons and daughters, and set them on the path of their working lives.
It’s true that two locals businesses have lost the leases their to accommodate the new McDonald’s restaurant and of course, that’s unfortunate. Both have the option of relocating to one of the many vacant shops along the Tecoma commercial precinct however, and one (Saffron Cottage) is now in the process of doing so. It’s also been argued that the many other local fast food operations along the strip will also suffer from the competition and in consequence their ability to employ, but since when has the presence of a McDonald’s, or any large fast food franchise for that matter affected the individuals desire for variation? Sure, you might eat McDonald’s this Friday night, but invariably you’ll want pizza or fish and chips the following week, maybe Thai or charcoal chicken the week after that. In fact, It could be argued that the large franchises actually stimulate competition and therefore employment. After all, when was the last time you saw a McDonald’s that didn’t have a series of rival takeaways nearby? In retail leasing, one of the prime draw cards that makes others want to sign up are what they refer to as "anchors". Businesses like Coles, Big W generate traffic. In a food court thebig players such as McDonald's, KFC etc. are the draw cards. It is a leasing agents dream to refer to the pulling power of such a brand when negotiating.
Teenagers do get bored. If not devoting too much time to video games or eating you out of house and home, they might occasionally be chugging cheap booze with their mates behind the train station (It’s a rite of passage, I’m assured). It’s for this reason we encourage them to participate in sports and hobbies where they learn and expend some of their energies. The question to consider though, Is a McJob and the skills, physical exertion and social interaction involved so different to the footy club or ballet practice, and how can that new supplementary income affect the family budget? Can it really be all that bad?
The imminent construction of a McDonald’s outlet in the Melbourne suburb of Tecoma has prompted a (Mc)flurry of arguments for and against the development from a number of the regions residents. The greatest benefit however, and that which seems to have become forgotten in this battle is the positive impact of employment on the young people of the area.
At this point I need to confess that in my youth, I was once a McDonald’s employee. Sure, as typical teenagers we grumbled and groaned about our managers, customers and duties, but as time went by and long after I’d left the company I came to realise that not only had the company instilled in me a sense of discipline and work ethic, it had also been a great social adventure which in itself, is always the very greatest and most enjoyable of all learning experiences.
As any long term unemployed person might tell you, there’s more to a job than just a fortnightly pay packet, and although a ‘McJob’ might be seen as derisory or beneath the dignity of some, for many young people it’s often the easiest and only first step on the ladder of a working career. In fact, many employers look favourably on former McDonald’s employees for the training and ethic they’ve acquired within the company. To degrade the work of McDonald’s employees as robotic or menial (as some in the protest group have done) is to underestimate
the value of employment for our youth.
Some argue that there are a plethora of other local businesses that provide employment to the regions teens. Supermarkets, convenience stores and the many fast food takeaways that already line the highway between Upwey and Belgrave do employ many, but with high youth unemployment a traditional constant not only in Tecoma but across the nation, the opportunity to employ more of the areas youth should be embraced and encouraged. The average McDonald’s outlet employs 80-100 people. Of those, 10-15 are usually full time. In the perhaps, 30+ year lifespan of the operation in Tecoma, McDonald’s will train and employ many thousands of the residents sons and daughters, and set them on the path of their working lives.
It’s true that two locals businesses have lost the leases their to accommodate the new McDonald’s restaurant and of course, that’s unfortunate. Both have the option of relocating to one of the many vacant shops along the Tecoma commercial precinct however, and one (Saffron Cottage) is now in the process of doing so. It’s also been argued that the many other local fast food operations along the strip will also suffer from the competition and in consequence their ability to employ, but since when has the presence of a McDonald’s, or any large fast food franchise for that matter affected the individuals desire for variation? Sure, you might eat McDonald’s this Friday night, but invariably you’ll want pizza or fish and chips the following week, maybe Thai or charcoal chicken the week after that. In fact, It could be argued that the large franchises actually stimulate competition and therefore employment. After all, when was the last time you saw a McDonald’s that didn’t have a series of rival takeaways nearby? In retail leasing, one of the prime draw cards that makes others want to sign up are what they refer to as "anchors". Businesses like Coles, Big W generate traffic. In a food court thebig players such as McDonald's, KFC etc. are the draw cards. It is a leasing agents dream to refer to the pulling power of such a brand when negotiating.
Teenagers do get bored. If not devoting too much time to video games or eating you out of house and home, they might occasionally be chugging cheap booze with their mates behind the train station (It’s a rite of passage, I’m assured). It’s for this reason we encourage them to participate in sports and hobbies where they learn and expend some of their energies. The question to consider though, Is a McJob and the skills, physical exertion and social interaction involved so different to the footy club or ballet practice, and how can that new supplementary income affect the family budget? Can it really be all that bad?
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