Jonah Cotton is a proud Moulton College alumnus who studied Furniture Making and Design. His time at the college gave him a strong foundation in both traditional craftsmanship and modern design, preparing him for a flourishing career in the construction and manufacturing industry.
The course at Moulton took Jonah through every stage of furniture making—from working by hand and using machinery to learning advanced design software like AutoCAD. In his final year, he brought everything together by designing and creating his own unique piece from concept to completion.
The course really prepared me for the world of work. The skills and responsibilities I learned translated directly into employment opportunities.
Jonah’s connection to industry began while he was still a student. During a visit from NBJ, a specialist company in interior fit-out and joinery, he introduced himself to two staff members—Neil and Chris—and made a great impression. He was offered a week of work experience, which soon turned into a part-time job while he completed his course.
Now at NBJ full-time, Jonah is on a bespoke two-year internal training programme that has taken him through departments like production, estimating, and project management. His work also includes site visits, where he learns how NBJ’s output integrates with live construction projects.
“It’s given me a really strong understanding of how the business works and how everything fits together—from design to installation.”
To support his continued growth, Jonah has also enrolled in a part-time degree apprenticeship in Quantity Surveying at Nottingham Trent University, taking a deeper dive into the commercial side of the industry.
“NBJ has done a great job backing me through all of this. I’ve found an area of the industry I’m passionate about, and I’m really excited for the future.”
