Bargate has proudly welcomed three promising graduates from the local area into key roles across its design, development and planning departments at its Hampshire head office. The latest investment in graduate recruits signals the award-winning housebuilder’s long-term commitment to addressing the construction sector’s escalating skills shortage.
Felicity Jenkinson‑Hutchison from Hedge End and Jenni Hardy from Salisbury have joined the business as Design & Development Graduates, while Elise Hutton from Peterfield has joined the Land & Planning team as a Graduate Planner. Each brings fresh perspectives, creativity, and determination to help deliver the homes local communities need.
Mark White, Managing Director at Bargate and Chair of the Future Homes Hub’s SME Liaison Group, said:
“The construction industry continues to face a skills shortage, while the government’s target is to build 1.5 million new homes in England. There is much work to be done to encourage new talent to increase the workflow of these new homes. We are proud that our talented graduates are actively responding to the government’s call for new homes, working right across the pre-construction complexities of residential development.”
Felicity Jenkinson‑Hutchison, a University of Portsmouth graduate in Property Development BSc, has recently started working on the upcoming Southleigh Park site. Having previously worked at a national housebuilder, she brings experience and a fresh perspective.
Felicity said,
“I’ve already learnt so much – the role here has opened my eyes to the full complexity of pre-construction. It’s exciting to be growing alongside Bargate as the business itself evolves.”
Jenni Hardy, who studied Interior Architecture & Design at the University for Creative Arts in Farnham, joined Bargate in May and is already contributing to a range of active projects, including its new development in Pagham, Marlow Walk in Warsash, and Heritage Place, North Stoneham Park.
Jenni said,
“This has been a steep and exciting learning curve – everything is new, and I’m gaining hands-on experience from day one.”
Elise Hutton graduated from the University of Liverpool with a degree in Geography and joined Bargate in March. She is now working closely with the Land and Planning team, supporting new sites including Whiteparish and Medstead. Elise said, “Planning was a leap into the unknown for me, but I’ve found an incredibly supportive team and a role that’s both challenging and rewarding.”
As part of its wider talent strategy, Bargate is committed to creating a sustainable, skilled workforce. The company works closely with suppliers to ensure they have the business visibility to train apprentices, and it actively engages with schools to raise awareness of the broad range of careers available in the construction sector.
Mark White, added:
“It is immensely rewarding to see young people from the local community working on our live developments, but the whole industry needs a better, more reliable workflow to make construction a more attractive proposition for career choices.”
Bargate is a wholly owned subsidiary of VIVID – Hampshire’s largest and not-for-profit provider of affordable homes – and is currently constructing 300 homes across six live developments. With a pipeline of more than 2,500 new homes in planning, Bargate’s latest graduate intake forms part of its broader ambition to deliver not only homes but long-term opportunity across the region.
For further information on Bargate, visit: https://www.bargatehomes.co.