The Youth Career Development Programme began at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Bangkok in 1995 with one hotel, nine high school graduates and two visionary leaders: Lyndall De Marco, Corporate Director Of Education for the Pan Pacific Hotel Group and Dr Kitiya Phornsada, UNICEF, Thailand. As a result of this successful programme other hotels were invited to join and over the past ten years it has become a strong public private partnership focused on poverty alleviation and youth employability.

The programme has expanded globally into the Youth Career Initiative (YCI) and is operational on four continents, supported through the International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF).