Connecticut State Department of Aging and Disability Services

Pre-Employment Transition Services

BESB Pre-Employment Transition Services (PreETS) provide five (5) core pre-employment services to students ages 16 to 22.  These essential programs support students with disabilities as they transition from school to higher education or the workforce. The goal is to equip students with skills and knowledge for successful employment.

Who is eligible for PreETS services?

  • Students Aged 16-22
  • Students attending secondary or post-secondary school
  • Must be legally blind or visually impaired  
  • Have either an IEP or 504 Plan

What are the core PreETS services?

  1. Job exploration
    • May include activities such as general job exploration counseling, information regarding in-demand industry sectors and occupations, nontraditional employment, information about labor market composition, administration of vocational interest inventories; and identification of career pathways of interest to the student(s).
    • May be provided within a group setting or on an individualized basis.
    • May be provided in school, home, or a community setting.

     

  2. Work-based learning experiences
    • May include opportunities that are in-school, after school, or outside of the traditional school setting (including internships).
    • Must be provided in an integrated setting in the community to the maximum extent possible.
    • May be provided in a group setting, which may include coordinating a school-based program of job training and informational interviews to research employers, work-site tours to learn about necessary job skills, job shadowing, or mentoring opportunities in the community.
    • May be provided individually, which may include paid or unpaid internships, apprenticeships, short-term employment, fellowships, or on-the-job trainings located in the community.

     

  3. Counseling on opportunities for enrollment in post-secondary educational programs

  4. May be provided in a group setting, which may include providing information on course offerings, career options, the types of academic and occupational training needed to succeed in the workplace, and post-secondary opportunities associated with career fields or pathways. 
  5. May be provided individually, which may include advising students and parents or representatives on academic curricula, providing information about college application and admissions processes, information on completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and providing resources that may be used to support individual student success in education and training such as disability support services.

 

 

  1. Workplace readiness training
    • May be provided in a group setting, which may be offered in a generalized manner in a classroom or other such group settings to provide programming to assist students with disabilities to develop social skills and independent living skills necessary to prepare for eventual employment. These services could teach skills such as communication and interpersonal skills, financial literacy, group orientation and mobility skills, job-seeking skills, and understanding employer expectations for punctuality and performance, as well as other "soft" skills necessary for employment.
    • May be provided on an individual basis, which may also be customized to an individual's needs such as in a work readiness training program provided in an educational or community-based setting, including at an employment site, through instruction, as well as opportunities to acquire and apply knowledge.

     

  2. Instruction in self-advocacy, which may include peer mentoring
  • May include activities for students conducting informational interviews, mentoring with educational staff such as principals, nurses, teachers, or office staff; or mentoring with individuals employed by or volunteering for employers, boards, associations, or organizations in integrated community settings. Additional examples of these services include participating in youth leadership activities offered in educational or community settings.
  • May be provided through group or individualized opportunities

 

What Can You Expect from the PreETS services?

 

  • Pre-vocational Guidance
    • VR PreETS counselors will provide guidance and counseling to help students develop and explore their own skills and abilities, and may offer experiences that will help students learn about career opportunities and develop goals for the future through the five core PreETS services.

 

  • Orientation and Mobility Training
    • Cane travel, public and paratransit experience, and related compensatory travel skills, which are taught in the community, at a job site, or on a college campus

 

  • Camps and Programs
    • Offered at local, regional, and national locations, including college campuses, at employer sites and at residential camps when school is not in session

 

Quarterly PreETS Newsletter - April

 

NEW - Calling all High School Students and Graduating Seniors! Thinking about planning your education and career journey?
Interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)? Think about attending the STEM Career Exploration Lab 2024 3D Printing and Astronomy Camp 

For Parental Consent Forms, Details, and to Register Visit: https://sjsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e9idPooLE587702

 

For more information contact:

Charlotte Copenhaver

Educational Projects Coordinator
Email: Charlotte.Copenhaver@ct.gov
Office: (860) 602-4093
Cell: (860) 692-4251