Utah Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) for Students with Disabilities

What Pre-ETS Actually Is (and Why It Matters for Transition Planning)

Pre-Employment Transition Services — Pre-ETS — is one of the most valuable and underused programs available to Utah families navigating the transition to adulthood for a young person with a disability. Administered by the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation (USOR), Pre-ETS provides free, structured vocational training and career exploration to students with disabilities ages 14 through 21, or age 22 while participating in special education services under USBE Rule R277-419, who are enrolled in a secondary or postsecondary program and meet IDEA or Section 504 criteria.

The "pre" in Pre-ETS matters. These services are designed to start before the student exits the school system — building employment readiness skills while school supports are still in place, rather than scrambling to develop them after graduation when services become fragmented and harder to access.

For families also navigating guardianship decisions, Pre-ETS intersects directly with the question of independence. A young adult who has completed job exploration, workplace readiness training, and self-advocacy instruction through Pre-ETS may demonstrate enough functional capability to use a Supported Decision-Making Agreement rather than requiring court-ordered guardianship. The skills gained through Pre-ETS become evidence in the capacity assessment.

The Five Required Service Categories

Under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), USOR must provide Pre-ETS in five specific categories:

Job exploration counseling. Career assessments, interest inventories, and information about different occupations and industries. This helps students identify realistic employment goals based on their strengths, interests, and support needs.

Work-based learning experiences. Job shadowing, internships, and on-the-job training placements with local employers. These experiences happen in real workplaces — not simulated environments — so students develop practical skills and employer references.

Counseling on postsecondary opportunities. Guidance on college programs, vocational training, certificate programs, and apprenticeships that are accessible and appropriate. For students whose disability affects academic performance, this includes programs specifically designed for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Workplace readiness training. Social skills for employment, communication strategies, time management, personal hygiene for the workplace, understanding pay stubs and benefits, and workplace rights and responsibilities.

Self-advocacy instruction. Learning to communicate needs, request accommodations, understand disability rights under the ADA, and navigate workplace situations independently. This category directly overlaps with the skills needed for supported decision-making.

How to Access Pre-ETS in Utah

Step 1: Contact USOR. Contact USOR at about age 16 to establish eligibility for Pre-ETS and ask that a vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselor be invited to your student's IEP meetings.

Step 2: Referral through the IEP team. The most effective path is having the IEP team formally invite a USOR representative to the annual IEP meeting. IDEA transition planning requirements (which kick in by age 16 in Utah, though many districts start at 14) align naturally with Pre-ETS services. When USOR is at the table during IEP development, the transition goals in the IEP can directly reference Pre-ETS activities.

Step 3: Confirm the Pre-ETS criteria. A student does not need to be a USOR or VR client to access Pre-ETS. The student must be 14 through 21, or age 22 while participating in special education services under R277-419; meet IDEA or Section 504 disability criteria; and be enrolled in a secondary or postsecondary program. A community provider confirms that the student meets the criteria before services begin.

Step 4: Choose a Pre-ETS provider. USOR contracts with community-based providers throughout Utah to deliver Pre-ETS services. Your VR counselor can connect you with providers in your area. Services can be delivered in schools, at provider locations, or in community settings.

Pre-ETS vs. Full Vocational Rehabilitation

Pre-ETS is the on-ramp, not the full highway. Once a student is ready for more intensive services — or once they exit the school system — they transition to USOR's full Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program. The differences:

The handoff from Pre-ETS to full VR is where families need to be proactive. If your young adult is approaching the age-22 school exit and has been receiving Pre-ETS, ensure that a VR eligibility determination is underway before school services end. Plan the handoff so adult services are in place before school supports cease.

The Connection to Guardianship Planning

Pre-ETS participation provides concrete, documented evidence of a young adult's functional capabilities — evidence that directly informs the guardianship decision. A student who has completed workplace readiness training, held a job-shadowing placement, and learned to self-advocate in employment settings has demonstrated skills that a court will consider when deciding between guardianship alternatives.

Utah Code § 75-5-304 requires courts to prefer the least restrictive arrangement. Pre-ETS completion records, employer feedback from work-based learning, and self-advocacy skill assessments all serve as evidence that a young adult can function with support rather than under court-supervised guardianship.

For families beginning transition planning at age 16 or 17, engaging Pre-ETS early gives the young adult time to develop skills that may change the answer to the guardianship question by 18.

Getting Started

Contact USOR's Pre-ETS coordinator or ask your school's IEP team to invite a VR counselor to the next meeting. The Utah Adult Guardianship & Alternatives Guide includes the complete transition timeline that maps Pre-ETS engagement alongside guardianship preparation, DSPD intake, and benefit applications — so every piece of the puzzle is sequenced correctly.

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