Services for Students Ages 14-21

Have you ever heard your school or community support system refer to something as “Pre- ETS”, or pre-employment training services? I am gonna guess your answer is, “No,” unfortunately. Most parents that I talk to have no idea what this is, or have even ever heard of it. Generally speaking, it kicks in when kids get to high school, but some kids are still in middle school when they turn 14, so it could be something that happens during that time as well.

The following information comes directly from Vocational Rehabilitation’s website and should give you a good idea of what this service could, and should, be. However, just like most good educational services, no one is going to come out with a silver platter and ask you what you need. That’s just not how the system works. It tends to be much more reactive than proactive. But we know that when kids get what they need, their outcomes are much better. As John Maxwell says, “Just having knowledge will not lead to success. It’s what you do with what you know that makes you successful.” This means you need to take the information you gain and push the system to respond in a way that meets your needs, or the needs of your child. Otherwise, you’ll end up in a reactive system when things fall flat.

If you have a child with a disability who is 14-21 years of age, and is still in school, read the following and click the link below to download a Pre-ETS Referral Form if you’re interested in gaining more information. – I highly encourage it.  

About Students and Youth Programs

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is a federal-state program that helps people who have disabilities get or keep a job. VR is committed to helping people with disabilities find meaningful careers. Passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act further supports VR efforts to prepare students and out-of-school youth with disabilities for success in the 21st century workforce through our Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) and Transition Youth Programs.

Pre-Employment Transition Services

Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) offer students with disabilities an early start at career exploration and preparation for adult life. Students with disabilities may participate in Pre-ETS without having to apply to VR or be determined eligible for services. The focus is to explore careers, develop work skills, practice social skills and acquire a network of community supports while the student is still in high school.

Beginning at age 14, students with disabilities can connect with VR for Pre-ETS through the school transition staff, guidance counselor, or self-referral. VR works with students, their families, their schools and community partners to enrich transition planning and support students with gaining knowledge and experiences necessary so they may make informed decisions about their future. Under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA), every student (ages 14-21) with a disability has the opportunity to participate in Pre-ETS. This includes:

• Job exploration counseling
• Postsecondary educational counseling
• Self-advocacy training and peer mentoring
• Work readiness training
• Work-based learning experience

Transition Student Programs

VR’s Transition Youth Programs help students with disabilities train for a job, continue their education or find a job after high school. Under this program, every youth will have the opportunity to participate in sponsored career counseling, work readiness training, and fully-integrated work experiences in the community. These services are delivered while students are still in high school and establish the foundation for a seamless transition to individualized training, education and employment. This includes:

• Career Camps
• High School High Tech
• Inclusive Postsecondary Education
• Project SEARCH
• Youth Leadership Forum

Referral form here: