Youth Quote Search

Welcome to the Striving to Thriving Youth Quote Library. Here you’ll find a curated collection of more than 5,700 quotes from young people ages 15-22 living in communities across the United States. In the library you can see how young people describe their multifaceted identities, how they understand and apply meaning to language around job, work and career, how they think about and assign value to relationships, networking and connections, and their future goals and the education and career choices they believe will lead them there. You can also view additional notes on curation, categories and filters. 

  • Comparing and contrasting 'job' 'work' and 'career'
  • Understanding Job/Work/Career

[For “work”] “I put life, commitment…employers and stability.”

Participant:

  • Chicago, IL
  • Black
  • female
  • 26-29
  • higher income
  • Pathways
  • Steps and stages

“So in 4 years I plan on having my career, a house, getting stable because you are just starting…Having a steady job, getting stable. Starting from 25 to 60, you work your whole life there. That is your life. I want my career to be something that I like because I think from ages 0 to 25 it doesn’t matter because 25 that is what you are going to do basically your whole life. At 25 I want to be stable.”

Participant:

  • Los Angeles, CA
  • Hispanic
  • female
  • 15-22
  • lower income
  • Appealing jobs or careers
  • Aspirations and Goals

“My high school engineering teacher, she was a civic, she is a civil engineer. And something I really enjoy that she does is she’s able to take contracts anywhere and just work wherever for however long the contract is. Like she was in Germany for the last three months working with Boeing. And I just think that’s awesome.”

Participant:

  • Chicago, IL
  • Black
  • male
  • 15-22
  • higher income
  • Perceptions of the term 'work'
  • Understanding Job/Work/Career

“Consistency.”

Participant:

  • Online
  • Hispanic
  • female
  • 15-22
  • lower income
  • Challenges and Barriers
  • Lack of support

“I don’t really know [who would help me]; I don’t really know how they can make it easier on us.”

Participant:

  • Belle Glade, FL
  • Hispanic
  • female
  • 15-22
  • lower income
  • Education
  • Perceptions of college and postsecondary

“Maybe high tuition, no guaranteed jobs.”

Participant:

  • Online
  • Hispanic
  • male
  • 15-22
  • lower income
  • Pathways
  • Steps and stages

“Air Force Base fire fighter. Attend college for 2 years, complete degree and then basic work/study.”

Participant:

  • Pueblo, CO
  • Hispanic
  • male
  • 15-22
  • lower income
  • Challenges and Barriers
  • Lack of support

“I think for my husband he is looking at going into welding. But when you are in school, they are never like ‘hey there is trade school and you can get really good money being an electrician or a welder.’ They make that sound like that is the last resort option, but that is where the real money is because you are always going to need a plumber or an electrician or welders. But teachers and school they never really brought up trade school or vocational school or anything like that. It is always you have to go to college or a university. I feel trade school is a really good option.”

Participant:

  • Pueblo, CO
  • white
  • female
  • 15-22
  • lower income
  • Comparing and contrasting 'job' 'work' and 'career'
  • Understanding Job/Work/Career

“I think with career it is something that you have a little bit more expertise with rather than work or job. Job you could be a barista, and you would be fine at it. But with a career, it would be like a lawyer or a doctor. It is something that you long-term studied to do it, not necessarily, but it is something that you spend a lot of time doing. And you really devoted a lot of time and it is what your skills are put to use.”

Participant:

  • Pasadena, CA
  • white
  • male
  • 15-22
  • higher income
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Perceptions of entrepreneurship

“I can see how it would be fulfilling. Owning a business is a big responsibility, and it requires a lot of input. The reason I don’t think it would be an ideal fit for me is because of the responsibility required to me and what it requires. I don’t really think I would want to be so invested in something like that, but I can definitely see how that would give some fulfillment and some purpose to an entrepreneur who has this idea.”

Participant:

  • New Orleans, LA
  • white
  • male
  • 15-22
  • lower income