First-generation college students may be faced with additional challenges, including potential financial barriers or having fewer resources to guide them. They’re more likely to work while attending school—and are more likely to work more hours and off-campus— than non-first-gen students.

No one knows this better than Anne Dapremont, who started working at McDonald's to help pay for tuition as a first-generation college student. Anne now works as a Senior Director of Client Relations at EdAssist, overseeing our education assistance partnership with McDonald's.

Anne’s experience working for McDonald’s

During her college years, Anne worked multiple jobs, including working for the on-campus residence hall, at a retail job, and for McDonald's. As a first-generation student, she was responsible for paying her way through college and was supplementing her income with as many jobs as possible.

Working at McDonald's was a key part of that, as McDonald's offered flexible hours that she could quickly grab when they fit into her demanding schedule. She worked there for about a year, developing crucial skills like time management. And, as a natural introvert, working the counter at McDonald's helped her to engage with people from all walks of life… and how to engage with people nonstop.

Anne’s career journey

After leaving McDonald's and graduating college, she initially worked at an internet startup company that was converting paper-based training to digital formats. She then worked in advertising for a decade until she felt compelled to transition back to the education industry, which was a passion as a first-generation college student.

She worked at university systems for several years and volunteered with her local SHRM chapter serving a two-year board position as VP of Workforce Readiness. During her time there, she collaborated with Fort Hood & Central Texas Employers to help transitioning service members find new civilian career paths and pursue job opportunities aligned with their skills and interests.

At 40, she returned to school to earn her Master’s degree despite feeling the imposter syndrome that often weighs on adult learners. She completed her MBA, and understands how challenging and rewarding it can be to pursue continued education throughout your career.

Several years ago, she had a former colleague who raved about working at EdAssist, and she waited for the right opportunity to join the team.

Working as a McDonald's client relations director

Anne now works as the Senior Director of Client Relations at EdAssist, and works as a key player on the team supporting our McDonald's partnership. In her current role, she helps manage the partnership from a high strategic level, assisting with understanding industry trends, collaborating with employee surveying initiatives, and telling stories of how the program impacts employees.

As a first-generation student who worked hard to put herself through school and who then worked in higher education for over 15 years, Anne loves working with organizations that invest in their employees now.

When organizations help their team members stay relevant through upskilling and reskilling, she’s seen firsthand how it makes an enormous impact on not only the individual, but their entire family unit and even their community.

Now, she gets to work with one of her early employers on their programs that can make earning high school, college, and graduate degrees more possible for workers than ever before. This is particularly true for people who may be balancing busy family obligations and their job at McDonald's while pursuing college on top of it all. To see busy adults find opportunities that allow them to go back to school and earn their degrees is wildly fulfilling.

About McDonald's Archways to Opportunity program

With one in eight Americans having worked at McDonald's at some point in their careers, they know that many workers may be there only temporarily. They consider themselves as a gateway employer, and if a worker comes to them, works hard for a few years, and eventually goes on to pursue another career, they consider that a success story.

It’s partially for this reason that they launched their Archways to Opportunity program, which is approaching its 10th anniversary in April of this year. This program provides invaluable educational opportunities to eligible employees, including:

• English Under the Arches, which helps ESL students become more comfortable speaking and reading in English.
• Access to Career Online High School to complete their high school diploma.
• Leverage educational assistance through EdAssist to help pay for tuition costs.
• Receive success, educational, and finance coaching through the EdAssist partnership.

The Archways to Opportunity program have awarded over 65,000 employees with tuition assistance, increasing access to education for over 82,500 people.

Anne’s advice for career growth and advancement

Anne proves that hard work, resourcefulness, continued education, and following your passion can pay off in significant ways.

And this is what she wants everyone else to know— whether they’re at the beginning of their career or considering a career change: Believe in yourself. You may have a lot going on and working entry-level job, but you have highly valuable and transferable skills that you may not even be aware of.

Here are some of her tips for how adult learners can pursue continued education and career advancement:

• Talk with your manager, letting them know about your career advancement goals and asking about education assistance options.
• Ensure you understand education assistance policies, such as how long you have to work with an employer after receiving the degree to avoid paying back tuition.
• Choose an employer offering career advancement and upskilling opportunities, ideally formal education assistance programs like McDonald's.
• Take advantage of any resources available, including EdAssist’s career, education, and finance coaches, to guide you on the degree type, program choice, and timing.

It’s never too late to invest in yourself and your career— and it’s never too early, either. Get advice on how to start through EdAssist’s coaching services.