About Matt Heywood.

Background

From struggling in first year to teaching the course.

I completed the mechanical engineering technologist program through Camosun College and a Bachelor of Engineering through the University of Victoria. That path wasn't smooth from the start. I failed my first calculus test at Camosun, and had to decide whether to walk away or commit to fixing it. I committed, and by second year I was earning straight A+ grades and a few academic awards along the way. I wrote about that turnaround, and the co-op jobs that came after it, in more detail in my interview with Nexus, Camosun's student newspaper.

Co-op took me through a refrigeration startup, fleet engineering at BC Transit, and the machine shop at UVic. I now work as an instructional assistant teaching mechanical engineering and physics at Camosun College, alongside running Heywood Academies.

Why Heywood Academies exists

Started in 2022, still hands-on today.

I started Heywood Academies in 2022 to help students with math, science, and engineering courses, the same subjects that gave me trouble in my own first year. Before that, I spent a year traveling around Australia working as an online tutor, which is where a lot of the online tutoring side of the business first took shape.

I still tutor directly, mostly calculus, physics, and mechanical engineering courses at UVic and Camosun, and I lead the rest of the team of tutors who cover math, physics, chemistry, and biology across high school and post-secondary levels.

Elsewhere

Talks, interviews, and videos.

• Featured on UVic's Work It career podcast and the LearnWell podcast.
• Interviewed by Nexus, Camosun College's student newspaper.
• Spoke at a UVic Entrepreneurship Club event alongside other Victoria founders. Read the takeaways.
• Posts study videos and course walkthroughs on YouTube.