Early Careers Programme - Reading

Are you 18 – 20 years old? Not got a degree? Not a problem! Do you fancy running your own business turning over £1 million in two years’ time? At Burger King UK, we’re looking for the next generation of restaurant leaders to join STACKED; our full-time early careers programme, created to accelerate your management journey.

STACKED is designed for young people who are hungry to learn and ready to build more than just a career; they’re ready to stack their skills, experiences, and confidence to create something meaningful. In today’s world, success isn’t about a single strength. It’s about how you layer your abilities, combine your perspectives, and grow continuously. STACKED is built on that concept. From day one, you’ll start stacking: practical skills on top of business knowledge, real-world experience on top of potential, and a strong network on top of ambition. Stack your skills. Stack your confidence. Stack your future.

What you’re signing up for… You’ll join a group of future managers on the STACKED programme. Over two years you’ll learn how to run a restaurant, understand how the business makes money, make decisions that impact results, and lead your own team. Through hands-on projects, mentorship, and structured learning, you’ll develop a diverse toolkit that evolves with you. Each experience is another layer, whether it’s problem-solving, communication, leadership, or technical expertise; helping you become more adaptable, more capable, and more confident in navigating your future.

This isn’t a one-size-fits-all programme. It’s a platform to explore, experiment, and build your own stack. Because the strongest careers aren’t built in a straight line, they’re stacked over time, with intention. We’ve got 10 spots, and we want to fill them with the best! This isn’t an apprenticeship. It’s a structured early careers programme with a clear end goal: becoming a Restaurant Manager.

Let’s talk money… You’ll start on £27,500 per year. After three months when you can run your own shift, your salary will increase to £30,000 per year. As you stack up your skills, so will your salary! After two years, you could be earning up to £40,000 plus bonus and benefits as a Restaurant Manager. You grow and your pay grows with you.

Are we right for you? We have over 300 Burger King restaurants and we are continuing to grow. This programme is about getting you ready to step into that growth in fast-paced environments. You’ll get access and exposure most people your age don’t, from senior leadership to the wider business. Different restaurants, different teams, real experience. And it’s not just us saying it’s a great place to work. We’re proud to be recognised as a Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For 2025, with employee engagement scores 6% higher than the industry average. That means our people feel heard, supported and set up to succeed — and we work hard to keep it that way.

Are you right for us? You don’t need experience - just the right mindset. Bring the right attitude and we’ll help you stack up the skills. You might be right for STACKED if you enjoy working with people, bring energy and confidence, want responsibility early, and are motivated to build a career while earning. We are looking for individuals who are comfortable being yourself and letting others be themselves. Treat people fairly, listen well, and respect different opinions. Enjoy being part of a team and creating a positive vibe. With the ability to bring people together and rally the troops in a friendly way. Continually listening to the team, making space for everyone’s voice.

It's not all glamour in the restaurants! You must be willing to get stuck in, roll up your sleeves and help out. It’s a very hands-on role and you will help make things happen. Apply curiosity to learning and see setbacks as challenges to be solved, and problems as opportunities to improve! Take responsibility and try to do your best. Stay organised and keep things moving.

You must be:

• Aged 18–20 when the programme starts in September 2026 (If you’re 17 now but turning 18 before then, you can apply)
• Not in full-time education when the programme starts
• Able to work 45 hours a week, including evenings and weekends
• Looking for a long-term career, not just a job
• Willing to travel - if you don’t drive yet, that’s fine, if you’ve got reliable transport links and are willing to travel up to 45 minutes.

The more restaurants you get to work in, the faster you’ll develop STACK UP your career and apply now!