With Alabama open for business, McDonald’s restaurants across the state are staffing up for the busy summer season.

Local McDonald’s owner-operators reportedly expect to hire approximately 1,500 of the 3,000 restaurant jobs in Birmingham and surrounding areas during a week-long hiring event May 10-14 in preparation to welcome back customers safely.

“As local business owners, we’re proud to provide employment and career advancement opportunities that teach important life skills to our crew members, whether they’re looking for a summer job or starting a career,” stated Rusty Hamilton, a local McDonald’s owner-operator. “We are a people business at our core, and as we start to welcome customers back into dining rooms, the safety of our employees and customers is a top priority.”

A summer job at McDonald’s prepares employees with on-the-job training for future careers within McDonald’s and beyond. Local McDonald’s owner-operators also offer crew members an array of benefits, including flexible scheduling—making it easier for employees to manage their own schedules online or through an app—competitive wages, employee meal programs and more.

In addition to providing local jobs, McDonald’s continues to invest in the communities in which it serves through three major scholarship programs: HACER National Scholarships, the McDonald’s/APIA Scholarship program and Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) Black and Positively Golden Scholarships. McDonald’s USA is awarding half a million dollars to incoming and HBCU students through May 10. Students are encouraged to apply here. McDonald’s awarded six $15,000 scholarships to student recipients throughout Alabama last year alone.

“With job training, benefits, access to scholarships and more, McDonald’s offers key support to individuals entering the workforce while being a proven partner to Alabama’s economy,” Governor Kay Ivey said in a statement. “As we continue to bounce back from COVID-19, I’m committed to helping every Alabamian who wants a job get a job, and I look forward to seeing the more than 3,000 open positions in our state filled.”

Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn