Golden opportunity for Olympic volunteers

Food giant McDonald’s, one of the official partners of the London Games, is helping to select and train up to 70,000 volunteers.

The company said up to 1,000 of them, many of unemployed, will have the chance to obtain a City & Guilds Level 2 Award after the Games if they complete a period of training and sit an exam.

Everyone completing the qualification will also be offered an interview for an apprenticeship at McDonald’s.

Jez Langhorn, Vice President, People of McDonald’s, said: “It’s always been our ambition to use our role as Presenting Partner for the Games Maker programme to deliver a lasting legacy that will create opportunities for the volunteers themselves, will raise hospitality standards in our own business and across the service sector as a whole.”

Lord Coe, chairman of London 2012, seen meeting volunteers above, said they will have the chance to gain a “valuable” qualification”.

McDonald’s expects to serve over 1.75 million meals during the Games and Skills Minister John Hayes said: “Excitement and anticipation around the Olympic Games is building, and with the help of companies like McDonald’s, and the enthusiasm of the nation, we really can make London 2012 the best Olympic Games to date and achieve a lasting skills legacy.”