Staff Spotlight: Dennis Scharpf

Dennis Scharpf is the Head of Business Development for Asia Internship Program. Dennis is a German national who grew up in the United States and has lived in Thailand for 7 years.

My favorite travel memory would definitely have to be when I went on a family vacation to Thailand back in 2005. We spent most of our time in Phuket but also had a brief stay in Bangkok. It was my first time to Phuket, and this was recently after the infamous tsunami in 2004. I found it very interesting how the locals were recovering from the devastation, but I was also quite impressed with how fast they were able to redevelop this popular tourist destination.

I believe that I have grown a tremendous amount since my first day working with AIP. Originally, I did an internship as a content writer and previously didn't have any work experience. After six months of the internship, I was able to gain an incredible amount of relevant knowledge – much more than I did in university, to be honest. Working with AIP enabled me to see various departments of the business, and I think this has put me in a position to further develop myself

The story that comes to mind the most was about a Mexican student who came to AIP's office once he arrived in Thailand for his internship with an architecture firm. He was a recent graduate and very motivated to work full time in Thailand after his internship. I remember the AIP staff giving him all kinds of tips and suggestions to give him the best opportunity to get hired for a full time position. Almost 2 years later, he is still in Thailand pursuing his dream by living and working abroad.

Personally, I would really like to experience our South Korea program! I've never been to Korea, and I'm quite fascinated with the culture. Also, there are so many opportunities to take advantage of and explore. I'm also a big fan of Korean BBQ and fast internet speeds, so those would be some nice perks!

I think our young and international team makes us very unique and special. Our staff is from all over the world, which helps bring different perspectives to our internship program. It's hard to choose one thing but I'm always proud of our team when we can provide value to our program participants and put a smile on their faces.

I think the biggest factor for a business to be successful is perseverance! Many entrepreneurs today are pursuing business ideas for the wrong reasons, and eventually fold.

There are always going to be ups and downs but pushing through those hard times makes it so much sweeter in the end. It's kind of like working out – no pain no gain!