McDonald's will join Network Rail and Flybe in becoming the first companies in the UK to offer people qualifications, recognised by the UK's education authorities, through workplace training schemes.
Already being dubbed the "McQualification", the course will give students an on-site nationally recognised accreditation up to A-level standard. This will include training in customer service, human resources and marketing.
The QCA, which is the UK's regulatory body for all students, said the schemes devised by McDonald's, Network Rail and Flybe had been granted accreditation to recognise that the companies offered employees the chance to gain skills and career development.
Network Rail will launch a similar qualification, offering students training in track engineering, while Flybe has devised a course based on airline training and management.
John Denham, secretary of state for innovation, universities and skills, said: "It is right that we recognise and accredit employers that have shown a commitment to training and developing their staff.
"This is an important step towards ending old divisions between company training schemes and national qualifications, something that will benefit employees, employers and the country as a whole."
McDonald's move follows its decision last week to scrap its sponsorship of the report cards of around 27,000 primary school children in Florida. The rewards programme offered students free food and prizes for attaining top grades.
The Chicago-based company last year petitioned to try to change the Oxford English Dictionary's definition of the term, "McJob", which currently means an "unstimulating low-paid job with few prospects". The term was popularised by writer Douglas Coupland in his 1991 novel 'Generation X'.