Niki Ramsay opens new McDonald’s in Mackay, 350 jobs on offer
Niki Ramsay is growing her family legacy, but she is focused on offering opportunities to our community including sponsorship and her search for 350 recruits.
Business
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As the new Andergrove McDonald’s prepares to open later this year, owner Niki Ramsay is excited about the 120 jobs the new store will generate.
She says she is focused on how she can help other families and her community as her family’s empire grows.
That includes recruiting another 230 people for jobs at the family’s other stores across the region and seeking out sponsorship opportunities.
Just 10 days ago, the Mackay Meteors wore Hamburglar-themed singlets as part of a McDonald’s initiative to raise money for the new Ronald McDonald Family Room at Mackay Base Hospital.
The event smashed all records, raising more than $30,000 in the post-match auction.
Niki’s father Ron opened the first McDonald’s in Mackay in 1990, with the family running the chain of stores ever since.
“My dad opened the North Mackay store 31 years ago and it was the first in the region,” she said.
“My parents are Mackay born and bred, I am Mackay born and bred, and I love working in the area I grew up in.”
It is an exciting year for the franchisor, with a store in Andergrove slated for a December opening in McDonald’s’ 50th year in Australia.
The newest store will sport the latest equipment updates and state-of-the-art facilities, and Mrs Ramsay said she was excited for the support from the community.
“It’s going to be an amazing McDonalds, right next to the new Coles complex,” she said.
“I’m grateful for everyone’s support, people seem excited at the news, and we’re excited to bring a lot of jobs to the area.”
Mrs Ramsay said she wanted to hire 120 staff for the Andergrove store, as well as a further 230 for other McDonald’s in the region.
“We’re trying to recruit 350 people across all of the Mackay, Whitsunday and Bowen stores,” she said.
“I think employment keeps a lot of kids out of trouble, and it alleviates pressure off the parents as well.
“It means the kids can pay for their phone bill, or buy their first car or some clothes.”
Mrs Ramsay said career pathways were almost endless, and she pushed her staff to better themselves through free further education.
“We offer certificates II and III to our staff and they get paid to do it because they’re bettering themselves, so we really push that,” Mrs Ramsay said.
“We then send them on a business leadership course that is all paid for, which is essentially a Diploma of Business Management, and it gives them the pathway to further their careers in the hospitality industry.
“You can take it as far as you want to go, even people in our head offices started at McDonald’s and were recognised and offered a job when they finished their studies for accounting or architecture.”
McDonald’s has a large outreach in the Mackay community, with numerous sponsorships spanning the widespread region.
Mrs Ramsay said it was important for her to help her local community with achieving their goals.
“Anyone who wants a sponsorship from McDonald’s can get one. As long as the financing is right and the budgeting is there, we happily help people out,” she said.
“We’re sponsoring the Meteors and Meteorettes, the All-Abilities rugby league team, the Bulldogs rugby league, St Pat’s girls rugby league team, the list doesn’t seem to stop.
“I’m grateful for the community support and I try to repay that support as best I can.”
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