Standard Life Centre for the Future of Retirement gears up for a new initiative to inspire and empower those at mid-career crossroads

id

• Re:Work Live event in London on Friday 14th November brings together a host of leading career change experts and organisations
• Thought-provoking, action-focussed seminars, workshops and one-to-one sessions will help stuck and pivot-ready workers reimagine their career journey and explore new possibilities
• 50% of workers expect to have to continue working beyond State Pension age, up from 46% last year.* Although nearly a third (30%) of people aged 45–54 expect to change careers before retiring, only 15% have accessed any form of careers advice in the past three years** – even though career longevity improves financial resilience

The Standard Life Centre for the Future of Retirement and Careers can change campaign are gearing up for Re:Work Live, their biggest ever event on 14th November. The event brings together an inspiring mixture of career change experts and specialists in the skills, mindset and financial aspects of career change.

The event, which is due to be attended by more than 250 people has been organised by the Careers can change campaign which is a group of independent organisations, convened by the Standard Life Centre for the Future of Retirement, who have come together to help inspire people and help make it easier for people to make successful changes to their careers.

The role of career planning and changes, in retirement planning

The ability for people to be able to work for as long as they want or need is critical to long-term financial security. However, one in seven of the workforce (14%) are dissatisfied with their work, particularly Gen X with only 65% ‘satisfied’ with their job (compared to 72% of Millennials and 76% of Gen Z). *

For this generation, who have often not received the full benefit of either the defined benefit or more modern defined contribution pension systems, the ability to build a career with longevity or shift roles midlife is particularly relevant. Half (50%) of workers expect to have to continue working beyond State Pension age.* Nearly a third (30%) of people aged 45–54 expect to change careers before retiring, but only 15% have accessed any form of careers advice in the past three years.**

A compelling line-up

The event at the Chicago Booth London Conference Centre will offer attendees a range of sessions and workshops focusing on topics including:

• Reimagining the traditional career journey and life stages
• Building a career on your own terms
• The role of AI and the skills needed in the modern workforce
• Entrepreneurship and portfolio careers
• How pensions and saving can unlock new opportunities

The event has been designed to cater to people at different stages with their career plans from those who are just beginning to consider their next steps, to those looking for practical guidance on how to navigate the future they’re preparing to pivot to.

The event brings together a powerful collective of partners including Brave Starts, Career Returners, Careershifters, Enterprise Nation, Now Teach, Squiggly Careers, Rachel Schofield, 20-First, Postcards from Midlife, the Learning and Work Institute, and the Standard Life Centre for the Future of Retirement.

Cath Sermon, Head of Public Engagement and Campaigns at the Standard Life Centre for the Future of Retirement, said: “The idea of a job for life no longer reflects the reality for many people. Careers today are varied, often spanning multiple sectors and roles. Navigating these transitions is a vital skill - and events like Re:Work Live play a crucial role in helping people build the confidence, clarity and tools to shape their next chapter. We are proud to support this initiative and champion the message that careers can change - and thrive - at any stage of life.”

 

- Ends -

Enquiries

Notes to editors:

*Retirement Voice 2025 | Standard Life

(Research conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Standard Life in June 2025. In total 6,000 participants took part in the online survey. Participants were aged 18-80 and were a mix of working, unemployed and retired people. Quotas and weights were used to ensure the respondents were representative of the UK general population on age, gender and region.)

** Standard Life Centre for the Future of Retirement, Careers advice for longer lives, 2023

About Standard Life

Standard Life is a brand that has been trusted to look after peoples’ life savings for 200 years.

Today it proudly serves millions of customers who come to Standard Life directly, through advisers and through their employers’ pension scheme.

Standard Life is part of Phoenix Group, one of the largest long-term savings and retirement business in the UK. We’re proud to be building on 200 years of Standard Life heritage together.

Our products include a variety of Pensions, Bonds and Retirement options to suit people’s needs, helping our customers to invest and save for their future. We’re proud to offer a leading range of sustainable and responsible investment options.

We support our customers on their journey to and through retirement with comprehensive, easy-to-understand guidance so they can invest in the right way for their needs and plan a future they feel confident about.

The value of investments can go down as well as up and may be worth less than originally invested.

About Standard Life Centre for the Future of Retirement

Standard Life Centre for the Future of Retirement is a pioneering UK think tank with a bold ambition to help everyone achieve long-term financial security.

How we work, save, and retire is changing, and it will look different for everyone. That traditional idea of spending decades in full-time employment and then retiring with a comfortable, guaranteed income is no longer going to be a reality for most people.

Standard Life Centre for the Future of Retirement uses research to provoke fresh debate, drive action and influence change so that people can secure their financial future and enjoy a decent standard of living in their later lives.

It is led by Catherine Foot, a leading research and policy specialist who was appointed as the Director of the think tank under its previous brand, Phoenix Insights, in June 2021.

Catherine has over 20 years of experience in the field. From 2015 to 2021, she was Director of Evidence at the Centre for Ageing Better. She has also held senior roles with The King’s Fund and Cancer Research UK.