Winner Gold Award: Jessica Haskett, Kier Construction
Jessica Haskett hit the ground running when she joined Kier Group’s Construction division in 2021 as a graduate design manager. She had studied an MEng in Architectural Engineering at Heriot-Watt University and, while there, had led a team to victory in an international sustainability competition which saw her travelling to Dubai to oversee the installation of a zero carbon prefabricated home that her team had also designed and manufactured.
Haskett’s aptitude for leadership and organisation meant that she soon moved from supporting design managers to leading design management teams for Kier Construction’s London and Southern business, which she has done on four projects.
Other finalists
Maddie Beech Kier Construction
Poppy Casson Willmott Dixon Interiors
Bradley Cox WG Carter
Juliana Maia Dobuild
Ben Mason Mitchells & Butlers
Janika Niemela St George (part of the Berkeley Group)
Nouman Qadir MCIOB Quigg Golden
Jack Stevenson Kori Construction
Yasmin Struthers-Frost BAM Construct UK
Lucy-Ann Wallace Hill Group
Dilys White ISG
Ashley Williams Pexhurst Services
Among her standout technical achievements is managing and coordinating a fire-compliant solution for the enclosure of a six-storey atrium as part of a refurbishment project for the University of Portsmouth.
She also initiated and conducted a review of room sizes on a project for Dorset CAMHS, which showed they could be reduced while still meeting the necessary standards, saving the client £500,000.
Young Engineers Network
Discovering that the Southern branch of the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) Young Engineers Network had been disbanded, Haskett recently initiated its reformation and is now vice-chair. She was nominated by her division’s senior leadership team to be part of Kier’s Construction Early Careers Committee, which sees her interviewing candidates and mentoring them through their first years with the company. She is a mental health first aider too.
Comments from senior colleagues and clients pay testament to Harkett’s professional maturity and integrity. Ruth Wells, project manager at the University of Portsmouth, says: “Jessica is pragmatic and efficient in her approach, which is appreciated by us as a client. She is always well prepared and delivers on her promises… She is destined for great things in the future, and I hope that Kier will nurture and build on her talent.”
