15.11 Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS)

Pre-employment transition services are provided to students with disabilities to further develop an awareness of career and education opportunities, the general skills needed for employment success in any field, and the skills needed to appropriately advocate for themselves as they prepare to exit secondary education and enter the workforce or participate in other post-school activities. Pre-ETS should be provided in a progressive manner that allows individuals to build upon their awareness, development, and integration of skill development areas.

Pre-employment transition services are:

• Job Exploration Counseling

• Work-Based Learning Experiences

• Counseling on Comprehensive Transition or Postsecondary Education Opportunities

• Workplace Readiness Training

• Instruction in Self-Advocacy

A student with a disability is defined as an individual with a disability in a secondary, postsecondary, or other recognized education program who is:

• Between 15-21 years old; and

  • Eligible for, and receiving, special education or related services under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); or

  • An individual with a disability, for purposes of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Job Exploration Counseling includes a wide variety of professional activities that help individuals identify viable career options or solidify careers that a student wants to explore further. Job Exploration Counseling activities can be done through collaboration with private or public, for-profit or non-profit businesses in the community, and/or through web-based resources. Activities may include:

• Activities to create career awareness and gain knowledge of career paths

• Administration of career or vocational assessments

• Administration of vocational interest inventories

• Development of career-focused student organizations

• Exploration of non-traditional employment options

• Identification of career pathways of interest to the student

• Instruction on labor market information

• Introduction to in-demand industries and occupations

• Presentations on various careers

Work-Based Learning Experiences (WBLEs) use the workplace or real work to provide students with the knowledge and skills that will help them connect school experiences to real-life work activities and future career opportunities. It is essential that direct employer or community involvement be a component of the WBLE to ensure in-depth student engagement. These opportunities are meant to engage, motivate, and augment the learning process. WBLEs can be done in collaboration with private or public, for-profit or non-profit businesses in the community. They may include in-school or after school opportunities or experiences outside of the traditional school setting that are provided in an integrated environment to the maximum extent possible. If paid, the student with a disability must be paid competitive wages to extent competitive wages are paid to students without disabilities. In addition, WBLEs require in-depth engagement of youth and an evaluation of acquired work relevant skills.

A WBLE may include:

• Apprenticeships (not including pre-apprenticeship or registered apprenticeship)

• Career mentorships

• Career-related competitions

• Informational interviews

• Internships (paid or unpaid)

• Job shadows

• Practicums

• Service Learning or volunteer experiences

• Simulated workplace experiences

• Student-led enterprises

• Work experiences (paid or unpaid)

• Workplace tours and field trips

Choosing a career requires exploration and planning to gain awareness of the wide range of career pathways and labor market realities and projections. It is essential for students to see how skill development and knowledge related to future opportunities in Postsecondary Education (PSE) settings and employment. In addition to being provided information and guidance on a variety of PSE and training opportunities, the PSE planning process allows students to learn about the special departments and/or supports available at institutions of higher learning. Counseling on PSE may include:

• Identifying interests, abilities, talents, needs, learning style preferences and goals.

• Researching career and PSE options.

• Promoting participating in PSE preparation classes.

• Promoting use of executive function skills needed to succeed in postsecondary education.

• Promoting use of self-advocacy skills.

• Supporting student participation in college fairs and tours.

• Teaching students about applicable educational and vocational laws.

• Documenting necessary academic accommodations.

• Connecting to PSE resources, services, and websites.

• Identifying financial aid options.

• Providing PSE information to family members.

• Assisting with the application and enrollment process.

• Identifying and advocating for needed accommodations and services, including technology, admission test accommodations, and classroom accommodations.

Workplace readiness describes a number of commonly expected skills and behaviors that employers seek from most employees that are necessary for any job. Work readiness skills are sometimes called soft skills, employability skills, or job readiness skills. Workplace Readiness Training includes a broad range of activities to help students learn skills, such as appropriate workplace interactions, time management, effective and professional communication, problem solving, decision making, and other independent living and interpersonal behaviors essential for workplace success. Additionally, financial literacy, orientation and mobility, job seeking skills, and the development of other soft skills may be included in workplace readiness training.

Self-advocacy refers to an individual’s ability to effectively communicate, convey, negotiate, or assert their own interests and/or desires. Instruction in self-advocacy may include development of self-awareness (including understanding of one’s disability), independent decision making, goal setting, self determination, understanding, requesting, and utilizing needed accommodations, knowing rights and responsibilities, and leadership skills.