This article draws on the first two years of a longitudinal study of young people's pathway and career-related experiences and perspectives. It argues for a richer conceptualisation of young people's transition to study, training and employment than what simple school-to-labour market models allow. We present four clusters of young people's interview narratives--the Hopeful Reactors, the Passion Honers, the Anxious Seekers and the Confident Explorers--and examine the way that each differently splices together elements of security and exploration in their trajectories. We suggest a focus on the dual "production" of identity and career to augment analyses of transition and career development for young people. (Contains 2 tables and 3 notes.)