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Month: July 2026

Celebrating our people at Plessey’s summer party

Posted on by Kate Lowman

Last month, our people from across Plessey came together for our Summer Party at Pier Master’s House in Plymouth.

As our team continues to grow, opportunities like these become even more valuable. The celebration brought together people from every part of the business, welcomed new faces, strengthened connections, and recognised the achievements that have shaped another busy year at Plessey.

The festivities began back at Plessey, where everyone enjoyed a mid-afternoon visit from an ice cream van before heading to Plymouth’s lively waterfront. There, guests were welcomed with drinks- including our own Photon Blue Lagoon – before an evening of live music, a DJ, delicious food, and plenty of laughter, with the photo booth and video booth capturing memories throughout the night.

Behind every breakthrough at Plessey is a team of talented, committed people. Their expertise, collaboration and dedication are what enable us to continue engineering the future in light, and events like these are an opportunity to recognise the people who make that possible.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us. Take a look through some of our favourite moments.

Work experience meets social media

Posted on by Kate Lowman

This week, we were delighted to welcome seven students from local schools and colleges, including our partner school Ivybridge Community College, to Plessey for a week of work experience.

Throughout the week, the students experienced life across a wide range of departments, discovering how different teams work together to solve complex challenges and bring innovative technologies to life. From spending time in our cleanrooms and manufacturing areas to meeting colleagues from our business functions, they gained first-hand insight into the many careers that exist within a high-tech semiconductor business.

Rather than simply observing, the students were encouraged to ask questions, think critically and understand how every role contributes to our success. Whether discussing engineering challenges, exploring problem-solving techniques or learning how business functions support innovation, the week was designed to provide a genuine insight into working at Plessey.

The final challenge saw the students join our Marketing team to explore the importance of branding and social media. After learning about how organisations communicate effectively, they were tasked with creating their own social media post about their week.

The students were asked to define an audience and choose an objective before presenting their creative decisions back to the group. They explained the thinking behind their design choices, from the glowing text effect inspired by Plessey’s “into the light” brand theme to their choice of quotes and written copy. It wasn’t about producing a perfect replica of the Plessey brand – it was about understanding how brands communicate ideas and make creative decisions with purpose.

During the session, the students also learned about our three core values: Grow, Lead and Trust. Those values underpin everything we do at Plessey, and they were reflected in the confidence, curiosity and teamwork the students demonstrated throughout the week.

In the spirit of Trust, we’ve chosen to share the students’ social media graphic exactly as they created it. It represents their own interpretation of what they experienced during the week and serves as an authentic reminder that developing new skills is about learning, experimenting and having the confidence to present your ideas.

We’d like to thank all of the students for their enthusiasm, creativity and willingness to get involved, as well as our ambassadors across the business who gave their time to make the week such a valuable experience.

We’re proud to support the next generation of engineers, scientists and business professionals, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Ivybridge Community College to inspire future talent.

Lighting the way with St Luke’s Hospice

Posted on by Kate Lowman

Across Plymouth this summer, light is bringing people together.

Through St Luke’s Hospice’s Guiding Lights trail, businesses, artists and communities have come together to raise awareness and funds for the vital care and support the hospice provides to people and families across Plymouth, South West Devon and East Cornwall.

Plessey is proud to be part of that story alongside the Plymouth Manufacturers’ Group. Designed by the talented Mrs Murals, our lighthouse is now on display outside the National Marine Aquarium, where it joins more than 40 unique sculptures forming the city-wide trail.

The design celebrates the breadth of manufacturing across our region through three distinct layers representing the sea, the land and the air. Alongside showcasing the industries that help shape Plymouth, the artwork also encourages visitors to look more closely at our relationship with the natural world.

Ahead of the public launch, Plessey joined fellow sponsors, artists and supporters at a special preview event, celebrating the creativity behind each sculpture and the partnerships that have brought Guiding Lights to life.

Engineering the future in light means more than advancing technology. It means leading with purpose, creating opportunities for growth and building trusted partnerships that make a lasting difference. Guiding Lights is a powerful example of those values in action, bringing businesses, artists and communities together behind a shared purpose.

If you’re exploring Plymouth this summer, we’d encourage you to download the Guiding Lights trail app, discover the incredible artwork across the city and, if you’re able, make a donation to St Luke’s Hospice. Every visit, every conversation and every contribution helps support the hospice’s invaluable work for local people and their families.

Get involved with Plymouth Makes

We are also inspiring the next generation of makers as part of Guiding Lights.

As part of the Plymouth Manufacturers’ Group’s Plymouth Makes – Mini Makes competition, young people are invited to design and ‘manufacture’ their own product inspired by the trail. Open to children aged 0–18, the competition celebrates creativity, problem-solving and engineering, encouraging participants to explore how ideas are transformed into something tangible.

You can find out more about the competition and how to enter by visiting the Plymouth Makes Mini Makes page.

Celebrating Armed Forces Week

Posted on by Ella Renton

As Armed Forces Week came to a close, Plessey was proud to attend Plymouth Armed Forces Day and show support for service personnel, veterans, reservists, and families. For us, it was also an opportunity to discuss careers, transferable skills, and futures after service.

We design and build photonic devices and systems that help shape the future of computing. That requires technical precision, resilience, teamwork, and a commitment to continuous improvement. These are capabilities that military experience helps build.

One example is Charlie Watt, Manufacturing Director.

Charlie served in the Royal Navy for nine years, joining as a Marine Engineering Artificer Apprentice and leaving as Chief Petty Officer. After completing further studies, he built his career at Plessey and progressed into senior leadership.

Reflecting on his career, Charlie said: “General skills from my time in the Navy were invaluable – discipline, attitude, leadership, people skills and, of course, a sense of humour.”

Charlie’s experience reflects a broader story across Plessey.

Colleagues with military backgrounds now work across manufacturing, operations, facilities, engineering, and leadership roles. Their experience brings valuable skills and qualities that strengthen how we work every day.

The day also created valuable opportunities to strengthen local connections, including discussions with civic leaders about Plessey’s role in Plymouth’s advanced engineering sector.

Thank you to everyone who visited the Plessey team at Plymouth Armed Forces Day.

And thank you to all those who serve, have served, and continue to support the Armed Forces community.