As an innovative technology business operating in a highly specialised and fast-paced sector, Plessey Semiconductors Ltd understands that strong leadership is essential to driving performance, collaboration, and continuous improvement. With a long-standing commitment to developing its people, Plessey has partnered with Crisp for many years to support management and leadership capability across the organisation.

Investing in Leadership Excellence

In 2025, Plessey invested in a new cohort of managers and emerging leaders through the ILM Level 5 Award in Leadership and Management, a nationally recognised qualification designed to strengthen practical leadership skills, strategic thinking, and management confidence. Bringing together delegates from across the business, the programme formed part of Plessey’s wider commitment to building capable, confident leaders who can effectively support both their teams and the future growth of the organisation.

“Leadership development is critical to Plessey because our success depends on the strength of our people and our ability to adapt in a fast-moving, highly technical environment… What stood out most about Crisp was the practical and engaging delivery style… There was also a strong balance between support and challenge, which helped delegates build confidence while stretching their thinking.” – Susie Morcom, People and Culture Director, Plessey Semiconductors Ltd.

Developing Confident and Capable Leaders

Delivered across two modules between September 2025 and February 2026, the programme combined six days of face-to-face learning at Plessey’s site with ongoing tutorial support from Crisp’s ILM Principal, Bill.

The ILM Level 5 Award is a nationally recognised qualification aimed at developing middle managers and aspiring leaders. Throughout the programme, delegates explored key leadership and management principles, applying them directly to real workplace situations and challenges within the business.

As part of the qualification, delegates completed two written assignments, designed to demonstrate both their understanding and practical application of the learning. The results reflected the commitment and engagement of the cohort; every delegate completed the programme, with several achieving 100% pass marks across both assignments.

Learning That Translates Into Everyday Leadership

One of the key strengths of the programme was its practical relevance. Delegates consistently highlighted how the learning could be immediately applied to their day-to-day roles, from improving communication and delegation to developing more structured thinking and decision-making.

“It has given me so much: how to structure my thinking and how to formulate it, putting it into real-life application within my company; how to deal with different people and characters; how to delegate, save time and prioritise, everything!” – Saad

The programme also gave managers greater confidence in how they support and lead others, helping them develop fairer, more consistent approaches across their teams.

“It’s given me a lot of tools to apply in my day-to-day role, and it’s given me a lot of confidence in applying them as well. Also delivering a higher level of fairness and a higher level of guidance for the team around me.”

Delegates particularly valued the balance between structured learning and real-world examples, with Crisp’s facilitator bringing industry experience and practical insight into every session.

“It’s been a really good experience. Bill has been really insightful; he comes with lots of industry experience, which is really great – lots of small stories to help apply context to what we’re learning.” – Henry

Celebrating Achievements and Continued Development

The programme concluded with a certificate presentation in April 2026, where delegates reflected on their learning and shared how the qualification had supported both their personal and professional development.

For many participants, the programme represented not just a qualification but a significant milestone in their leadership journey.

“Thank you to Plessey for supporting my development and giving me this opportunity. This programme has helped me develop stronger leadership insight, improve decision-making, and apply structured management practices within my role. A valuable step forward in my professional development.” – Lewis

A Long-Standing Partnership

Plessey’s continued investment in leadership development reflects its wider commitment to supporting people at every stage of their careers. Through accredited learning, practical development and ongoing support, the business is helping its managers build the confidence, skills and self-awareness needed to lead effectively in a highly technical and fast-paced industry.

As a long-standing client of Crisp Professional Development, Plessey continues to demonstrate the value of sustained investment in people development, creating stronger managers, more capable teams and a culture of continuous improvement.

“It was a pleasure to work with the delegates. Plessey should be very proud of the team. They participated fully, held meaningful discussions on the content, and completed all their work within the given time frames. It is not an exaggeration to say that their scores on the two reports are one of the highest averages we have had for any cohort.” – Bill Allen, ILM Head of Centre, Crisp Professional Development.

Looking Ahead

By equipping managers with practical leadership tools and recognised qualifications, Plessey Semiconductors Ltd is strengthening leadership capability across the organisation and investing in the future of its people.

If you’d like more information on how we can support accredited leadership and management development within your organisation, please contact us for a complimentary learning consultation at info@crisp-cpd.com or call 01392 409198.