Every year up to 65,000 students sit the Leaving Cert and while many of them revel in studying and getting the best grades they can, others find the whole process laborious and boring and can’t wait to leave school and get on with their lives.
Rickwang Tientcheu can relate to this as he found himself “drifting” and losing interest, particularly during the Covid years when many classes were online.
Thankfully, he managed to find something he was passionate about and this not only encouraged him to focus on getting good exam results, but also motivated him to apply to third-level education and work towards a positive future.
“To be honest, I wasn’t mad into studying in the years leading up to my Leaving Cert,” he says, “but then I started reading a book on business and investing and I got hooked – that is when things started to change for me and I began thinking bigger – about how people build things, create opportunities, and make an impact.
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“That’s what led me and my friend Bogdan Postolachi to start a digital marketing business when we were still in fifth year.
“It started off as just a side project, but it actually took off. We were helping small local businesses with their social media, branding, and content creation and even started getting proper clients and running campaigns. It was wild – two teenagers from Ballymun running a business while still in school.
I knew some of the other students had much higher Leaving Cert points, and I wondered if I’d be able to keep up
“But, I’ll be honest, it came at a cost. We were missing classes, juggling client work, and trying to figure out business on our own. Luckily, I had some amazing teachers who helped me stay grounded and supported me through it.
“Gerry McDonnell and Paul Imonopi were both legends – they always had my back and reminded me to keep my studies going too. My career guidance counsellor, Tracie Tierney, was another huge help – she really believed in me and helped me plan out how to mix business with education.”
The 21-year-old, who lives in Ballymun with his mother and four siblings, also started a Coding Club in school and this helped too, not just with his understanding of technology, but also fuelled his desire to do well and to help others get on the same path.
“I started it because I wanted to give back,” he says. “I noticed that a lot of younger students didn’t have much exposure to coding, and I wanted to change that – so, every Thursday after school, I’d stay back and teach Python to students from first to third year.
“It started off small but grew quickly. I’d show them how to write simple programmes, do little challenges, and build their confidence. For me, it wasn’t about trying to turn everyone into a coder. It was about helping them realise that they could learn something new, something different, and actually be good at it. I think that kind of empowerment makes a huge difference when you’re young.
“It also kept me motivated – as teaching others taught me patience and helped me explain things more clearly. It made me want to keep learning too. After a while, AI started becoming huge, and I realised that if I wanted to keep up with the future of tech and business, I needed to upskill.”
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That’s when Diane McSweeney, the BITE (Ballymun Initiative to Third Level Education) coordinator, came in. “Honestly, Diane changed everything for me,” he says. “She’s one of those people who genuinely cares. She encouraged me to go to college, showed me the options available, and helped me through the whole process.
“With Diane’s help – and with my mam’s support too – I applied through the CAO and got into Technological University Dublin under the HEAR scheme (for students whose economic or social background are underrepresented in higher education).
“I can’t even describe how happy I was when I got that offer. But I’ll be real – in my first few weeks, I felt a bit of impostor syndrome. I knew some of the other students had much higher Leaving Cert points, and I wondered if I’d be able to keep up.
Balancing college, work, business, and fitness isn’t easy, but I’ve learned how to make it work
But I stayed consistent, put the work in, and by the end of first year, I was actually outperforming most of my classmates. That’s when I learned that points don’t define potential – work ethic and passion do.”
Now in his third year of a four-year degree studying Computer Science International at TU Dublin, and also working part-time in Brown Thomas on weekends, the budding tech entrepreneur has also, together with friends, been building an app for students called Edu Éire, which aims to bring everything about Irish education together in one place.
His love of coding hasn’t diminished, and he says he has developed and grown in so many ways and is feeling really positive about the future. “Right now, I’m in my third year and it’s a really interesting course because it mixes tech with languages – I chose German, which means I’ll be able to do an internship abroad next year.
“I’ve already completed two internships – one with Glitch AI, which automates Google Ads, and another with Twilio, a global tech company focused on communication APIs. Both gave me real-world experience and helped me see how tech fits into business – something that connects perfectly with my entrepreneurial side.
“And even while studying, I’ve kept running the coding club because it gave me purpose. It was my way of giving back to the place that raised me as through BITE, Diane gave me so many opportunities to grow. She pushed me to get involved in community projects and encouraged me to keep building my skills.
“That’s also how I got involved in the Ballymun Health and Fitness Festival, which was one of the most positive experiences I’ve had. That event was run by amazing people like Paddy O’Reilly, Dean Scurry, and Ger Prendergast. Ger’s someone I really look up to – he’s all about pushing limits and inspiring people through fitness.
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“Taking part in the festival and seeing how fitness can bring people together taught me a lot about consistency and discipline. To this day, fitness plays a massive role in my life. Whether it’s running, callisthenics, or gym training, it keeps me mentally sharp. It’s like my reset button – it helps me manage everything else.”
There is no doubt that the Dublin man will go far and for now his main focus is on Edu Éire, which came from his own experience of trying to navigate college.
“We’re building it using Flutter and Firebase, and our goal is to make it the go-to app for Irish students. I wanted to create something that makes education simpler, fairer, and easier to access – especially for students from areas like Ballymun, who might not have all those resources laid out for them. Edu Éire feels like everything I’ve learned rolled into one – my business background, coding skills, and desire to help others. It’s the project I’m most proud of.”
Tientcheu wasn’t always sure of where his education path would lead and he has a lot of different balls to juggle, but says that it’s all about balance and knowing that achieving the top grade in your Leaving Cert isn’t the only road to success.
“Balancing college, work, business, and fitness isn’t easy, but I’ve learned how to make it work,” he says. “I wanted to go to Trinity College for Business and Computer Science, but I didn’t get the points – and looking back, I’m actually glad I didn’t. Going to TU Dublin was one of the best things that could’ve happened to me.
“Sometimes, not getting what you want pushes you to create something better. And I think that’s where the real growth happens – so if you didn’t get the points you wanted in the Leaving Cert, honestly, don’t panic. It’s not the end of the road – it’s just one part of the journey. When I look back at everything – the coding club, starting a business, college, fitness, and Edu Éire – it all comes down to one thing: community.”
