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Carl Wiseman's face and story will be featured on more than 70,000 trayliners in McDonald's restaurants throughout Michigan.

(Courtesy | McDonald's)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Carl Wiseman is lovin' his life.

His company, Wiseman LLC/Management, owns seven McDonald's restaurants across the Grand Rapids area.

What began as a first job working the counter of a McDonald's in Muskegon at age 16 put him on a path to a successful and lucrative business.

"Early on in my career at McDonald's, I learned how to work with people, the importance of being to work on time, and being prepared for work," said Wiseman, in a statement. "I would come to work every day with a cleaned and pressed uniform ready to work together as a team."

His first job led to becoming a regional training manager in Grand Rapids. At 31, Wiseman decided to buy his own franchise. He credits his first 15 years working various jobs at McDonald's for preparing him to be a franchise owner.

Now, he employs more than 400 people at his restaurants in Byron Center, Caledonia, Grand Rapids, Grandville, Wyoming and Kentwood.

Wiseman's face and story will be featured on more than 70,000 trayliners in McDonald's restaurants throughout Michigan and on McDonald's YouTube channel as part of its nationwide campaign that focuses on America's Best First Job.

He was among a handful of McDonald's alum tapped by the fast food giant to share how their first McDonald's job helped them to learn, grow and succeed.

In a tight labor market, the fast food giant is playing up the perks that come with its low-wage jobs. The Golden Arches brand is also trying to frame its millions of positions making hamburgers and french fries as a sort of employment launching pad for higher-paying careers, whether at the company or somewhere else.

"Today, McDonald's continues to be America's best first job," says Marcos Quesada, vice president and general manager of McDonald's Michigan.

He points out the company offers free high school completion courses, free ESL classes, college tuition assistance, and managerial training that can earn college credits.

In Michigan, McDonald's employees have received more than $1 million in college funding.

The Fortune 500 company says it also offers comprehensive advising services to frontline employees, identifying the best educational and career route to help them achieve their goals.

The focus on education is important to the company's franchise owners like Wiseman. They operate nearly 90 percent of McDonald's 14,000 U.S. restaurants.