From Rags to Riches

How one man turned his life around from homelessness to high-flying career.

After seven years of homelessness, 33 year old Phil McCluskey shares the story of how he turned his life around, from living on the streets to having bought his first home.

After pursuing his career within the logistics sector, Phil now works full-time as a Marketing Manager. In the UK, this role offers a salary between £39-£64k a year, with the average standing at £46k¹ pa.

Now an ambassador for Generation Logistics, Phil is encouraging young people to investigate the possibilities which a career in the industry offers. Backed by recent research that shows nearly 90% of people have never considered a role in the industry2, Phil’s story shows that there is a place in logistics for everyone, no matter their background or start in life.

Phil’s story begins amid the complexities of homelessness, facing unimaginable hardships, moving from shelters to shared accommodations after being made homeless before leaving school.

After seven years of homelessness and living in shared accommodation, a turning point came when Phil bumped into his sister after many years of no contact, leading to her offering him a bed at her home in Leicester where he had the opportunity to study an “access to business” course at college.

Phil comments: “I had little faith in myself prior to this, but I achieved good grades and won two awards, which increased my desire to achieve as it allowed me to believe I had what it takes.”

Phil’s time back in education saw him not only studying, but also working multiple jobs, often two at a time. What little spare time he had left was spent running the boxing club which he had founded, offering an outlet to his fellow students. Upon graduating with a first-class honours degree in Marketing from Middlesex University and being awarded two scholarships, Phil was swiftly offered an entry-level position at a manufacturing company in Leicester. Since then, he has rapidly climbed the professional ranks, now working as a Marketing Manager at X2 (UK) and has recently bought his first house with his wife.

Phil’s time in the logistics sector has made him see it in a completely new light, explaining: “Logistics is an industry that I did not know much about before entering the profession. I can now see the huge potential it offers from a career perspective, and also how crucial this industry is to the economy and the nation in general.”

Beyond his professional achievements, Phil finds comfort and strength in competing as a bodybuilder: “My motivation to step on the stage for the first time is to raise money and awareness for the great work that YMCA does, after the significant amount of support they provided for me.” He adds, “Bodybuilding is something I am taking very seriously and plan to continue competing in 2024 after this initial event for charity”.

When asked for his advice to young people considering a career in logistics, Phil advises potential recruits to “research the opportunities that logistics can offer, as it seems there is a huge misconception that it is only for drivers and warehousing operatives, which is simply not true. It is a vital industry with massive opportunities for those who want to work in all kinds of roles including digital technology, marketing, finance, and so many others!”

Bethany Windsor, Programme Manager at Generation Logistics, added: “Phil’s journey from homelessness to logistics marketing manager is a real inspiration for us all. His story shines a light on the fact that success in logistics can be achieved by those from any background or experience. Anyone who is looking for a new career, or may be unsure of which direction to take, should take some time to explore the exciting opportunities that logistics has to offer – there’s a role for everyone!

1 Data taken from Reed: https://www.reed.co.uk/average-salary/average-marketing-manager-salary 

2 Research undertaken by Generation Logistics