QCA's announcement allows commercial companies the ability to award nationally accredited qualifications to employees, for the first time. Network Rail, Flybe and McDonald's all achieved the standards set by QCA for awarding accredited qualifications, enabling them to assess, track and recognise work-place learning which would have previously been lost.

The employer recognition scheme will form part of the new Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF), which is currently being trialled in many different businesses and sectors. The credit-based framework has been devised to ensure the capture of learning and skills in a way that is clearer to employers and learners.

Teaching unions attacked plans for the burger bar to provide qualifications as dumbing down. Dan Taubman, a senior official at the University and College Union, said: "We're concerned a McQualification won't be a more rounded qualification to help a young person leave a dead-end job. It's not necessarily in an employer's interest to do that."

He added: "If the content isn't good enough then it won't be a portable qualification to help people progress in their lives. There's a jungle of qualifications out there already and this could add to that confusion."

• 'McQualification' derided as Brown launches training reforms (Guardian)
• You say A-level, I say McFlybeRail Cert (The Times)
• McTraining and real education (Guardian)
• The Big Mac degrees will count for nothing (The Daily Express)
• McChange of heart: government U-turn opens door to employer-accredited training (Personnel Today)