Tyler Cook (‘21) has always been a “car guy.”
He realized early on that he didn’t just want to drive them — he wanted to understand how they work and how to make them better. That passion led him to Georgia Southern University and, eventually, to his role at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA).
Cook, a graduate of the University’s mechanical engineering program, is a weld shop process engineering specialist at HMGMA. In this role, he has found the perfect blend of hands-on work and analytical problem-solving.
“What I enjoy most about my job is being able to use my brain and my engineering degree to thoroughly go through any potential defects and identify what’s causing them, how to fix them and, ultimately, how to prevent them from happening again,” Cook explained.
When Cook started at HMGMA, the weld shop was just taking shape, giving him a front-row seat to the plant coming to life. He works on the side line, assembling the outer shells and internal components of car sides, which are then sent to the next stage, where the car sides are combined with other parts.
Being able to apply his mechanical engineering degree in an automotive manufacturing plant was ideal for Cook.
“I thought about being a mechanic because I like hands-on work, but I didn’t want to do back-breaking labor or get dirty all the time,” he said. “I thought about what would be a good, happy medium, and that’s when I decided I wanted to do mechanical engineering.”
At Georgia Southern, Cook worked on projects like comparing the efficiency of internal combustion engines versus electric motors, which sharpened his critical thinking and shaped his career path.
“That project made me realize I want to work on electric cars,” he said. “That’s where the future is, and I try to be forward-thinking.”
Outside the classroom, Cook fueled his love for cars by joining Eagle Motorsports, Georgia Southern’s student-led Society of Automotive Engineers chapter that designs, builds and races Baja and formula-style race cars.
“Being part of Eagle Motorsports really drove me to Georgia Southern,” he said. “I got to design parts for the formula cars, test them on the track and see how my work performed. That was really cool,” he said.
A native of Columbus, Georgia, Cook planted roots in Ellabell, Georgia, calling it “the best of both worlds.
“I’m right between Pooler and Statesboro, and being next to my job is a plus,” he said.
Looking ahead, Cook hopes to move into research and development at HMGMA and travel to South Korea.
“I don’t want people to think it’s all automated and there’s no room for growth,” he said. “We’re continuously growing and looking to bring on new talent.”