Over 20,000 McDonald’s employees will soon have the chance to convert their workplace skills into “micro-credentials” applicable to university courses, thanks to a new initiative launching nationwide today.

The Archways to Opportunity program, spearheaded by the fast-food giant, enables managers and crew coaches to acquire up to eight micro-credentials through a combination of on-the-job learning and in-person training sessions.

These micro-credentials can be presented to universities across the country, allowing employees to seek recognition for prior learning experiences.

The earned credits can contribute to a variety of degree programs, including business, commerce, management, human resources, technology, and IT.

Each micro-credential is equivalent to one subject credit within an undergraduate degree program.

McDonald’s Australia CEO Joe Chiczewski said the partnership could cut as much as a year off a student’s university studies.

“Today we’re excited to announce that training is being recognised across Australia as a university credit,” Chiczewski told Sydney radio station 2GB.

“The training we give our people in the restaurants, on the job as well as more formal training is being recognised by universities across Australia.

“Our people can now save up to $20,000 in fees and up to a year in university studies just through our training.”

In a statement, the fast food giant said it has partnered with some of Australia’s leading universities to “provide a seamless pathway for our people towards university credits”.

These providers include the University of Technology Sydney, Torrens University Australia, the new Adelaide University, James Cook University, Curtin University, Charles Darwin University, the University of Tasmania, the University of Canberra, the University of New England, Swinburne University and the William Angliss Institute.

The nationwide rollout follows a successful pilot earlier this year with Torrens University, the University of South Australia and Capability Co.

McDonald’s Mount Annan restaurant manager Zaakirah Khan is one of the employees participating in the program.

“I’d always planned to go to university but never imagined I’d have the support of McDonald’s in creating that opportunity,” Khan said.

The fast food giant is one of the largest employers of young people with a workforce of 115,000 people across its restaurants and corporate offices.