The team is among the top four of all colleges in the nation competing in the Project MFG Advanced Manufacturing Competition

MARYSVILLE, Calif. – Yuba College has made it to the top four in the nation in the Project MFG Advanced Manufacturing Competition, a prestigious and highly competitive tournament that highlights the skills of the next generation of American manufacturers by placing them in real-world work situations. The winning team will walk away with a $100,000 prize.

Reaching the top four for this national competition is a significant achievement for Yuba College’s Manufacturing Technology program. The competition has drawn attention to the college’s hands-on approach to training, where students gain experience in high-stakes, time-sensitive environments that mirror today’s advanced manufacturing industry.

Yuba College’s three-student team will compete in the Project MFG national championship, known as the “Clash of Trades,” from June 9–13 at Southwestern Illinois College. The event brings together the top four teams in the country to tackle complex, timed challenges in advanced manufacturing, including 5-axis computer numerical control (CNC) machining and additive manufacturing. Representing Yuba College are students Wyatt Curry, Adam Davis and Phoenix Farrell, who have spent months preparing for this moment.

Curry, 21, is from Wheatland, Calif. and graduated from Wheatland Union High School. He is double-majoring in Welding Technology and Manufacturing Technology, and he leads the team’s CNC machining and programming efforts. Curry attributes the team’s experience and efficiency to their success. “Our experience and speed are what set us apart,” Curry said. “At regionals, we finished all our tasks early with high-quality parts. That gave us the edge.”

Davis, 20, is from Marysville, Calif., and a graduate of Marysville High School. Majoring in Manufacturing Technology, Davis leads the 3D printing side of the team. Davis credits the team’s success to their strong teamwork. “The main factors bringing us success are definitely our teamwork and trust in each other,” he said. “We’ve practiced a lot in and out of class, and that’s helped us build the kind of trust where we know everyone will get the job done.”

Farrell, 19, is also from Marysville, Calif., and recently graduated from Yuba College with degrees in both Manufacturing and Welding Technologies. Known for his versatility and problem-solving skills, Farrell plays a key role in setup, programming and machining. For Farrell, the structure of Yuba College’s program plays a major role in their ability to perform under pressure. “Our small class sizes and fast-paced environment give us a lot of time with our professor,” he said. “That’s what gives us the skills to succeed when the pressure’s on.”

The team’s success has not come easy. The competition began last November and has included months of hands-on training outside of regular class hours. In the first round, the students collaborated with California State University, Chico (Chico State) to overcome equipment limitations, traveling to its plastics lab to produce the parts they needed. During the second round, which was hosted in Logan, Utah, the team set a record by finishing their satellite machining project an hour and a half early, without a single mistake.

Joe Bauer, faculty lead and Yuba College instructor for the program, credits the team’s work ethic and growth. “These guys have more drive than a freight train,” Bauer said. “They’ve put in hundreds of hours, grown tremendously as a team, and learned to put ‘we’ over ‘me.’ I’m incredibly proud.”

Yuba College’s Manufacturing Technology program offers training in manual machining, computer-aided design, Computer Numerical Control (CNC) programming and more. What sets it apart is its emphasis on real-world challenges like Project MFG, which gives students not only technical knowledge but the confidence and experience to thrive in industry.

“Manufacturing is a fantastic career path that more students should be exposed to,” Bauer said. “You don’t need to be an engineer to make rocket parts. You just need the skills and the will to learn. That’s what our program delivers.”

All three students said they would recommend Yuba College’s Manufacturing Technology program to others. Whether it was the hands-on training, small class sizes or the chance to compete at a national level, each of them credited the program with giving them the skills and confidence to succeed, both in competition and in their future careers.

“I’ve come from knowing nothing, to having the foundations, to learning how to make basically anything,” Davis said. “Joe gave us his time and the resources to succeed and get this far.”

For more information about Yuba College’s Manufacturing Technology program, visit: https://yc.yccd.edu/academics/career-technical-education/manufacture-tech/.

About Yuba College
Yuba College, located at 2088 North Beale Road, Marysville, Calif., has been providing quality education to the residents of the Yuba-Sutter area for more than 98 years. The 180-acre college opened its doors in 1927 and offers classes in over 90 programs that prepare students for a certificate, associate degree or transfer to a four-year college. There are more than 9,000 students enrolled at Yuba College. For more information about Yuba College, please visit the website at yc.yccd.edu.

In addition to the main campus in Marysville, Yuba College operates the Sutter County Center. Yuba College is a part of a two-college District that covers 4,192 square miles and all or part of eight counties.