Pre-Employment Transition Services Definitions Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) represents a collaboration between VR and local education agencies (LEAs). Pre-ETS are an extension of VR and are the first level of services that students can receive from the Department of Human Services. Broadly speaking, Pre-ETS are a transition service that are meant to help prepare students with disabilities for the transition from high school to postsecondary education, employment, and independent living.
Pre-ETS services include:
Job Exploration Counseling Work-Based Learning Experiences Workplace Readiness Training Counseling on Postsecondary Education Opportunities Instruction in Self-Advocacy These services are designed to help students identify career interests, which may be further explored through later vocational rehabilitation (VR) services. One of the benefits of Pre-ETS is improving the transition of students with disabilities from school to postsecondary education or employment.
Guiding Questions Does my school offer Pre-ETS? How often does the Pre-ETS provider come to the school? What skills is the Pre-ETS provider working on with students? Can the Pre-ETS provider come to my IEP meeting? What are some of the Pre-ETS services that might interest me? Resources EMPOWER November Monthly Deep Dive - Pre-ETS EMPOWER VI dives deeper into eligibility, services, and providers for Pre-ETS in their archived Newsletter.
What Should I Know About Pre-Employment Transition Services TransitionTN provides this Tip Sheet to help readers understand what they should know about Pre-ETS including the basics and myths.
If you’d like more information about Pre-ETS within your region of Tennessee, call 833-751-0597. Or, visit Pre-Employment Transition Services (tn.gov) to contact your local Pre-ETS supervisor for your area.
Pre-ETS may look different in other states. We recommend starting the conversation about what Pre-ETS looks like in your state by speaking with your school counselor, special education teacher, and/ or your local VR Office: State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies (ed.gov)
