Discover Your Student’s Path Forward
Welcome to Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) with Joshua Tree!
High school is an exciting time, but thinking about "what comes next" can sometimes feel overwhelming. That’s where we come in! Our Pre-ETS services are designed to empower students with disabilities to explore their passions, build real-world skills, and step confidently into adulthood.
2025-2026: Joshua Tree served 75+ High Schools & 1,200+ Students. Instructors are certified in vocational instruction.
What is Pre-ETS?
Pre-ETS bridges the gap between the classroom and the real world. Utilizing a nationally accredited transition curriculum, we focus on four core pillars to set your student up for long-term success:
Career Exploration
Helping students discover what they love doing and how it translates to the workforce.
Workplace Readiness
Developing the professional behaviors and soft skills essential for keeping a job.
Self-Advocacy
Teaching students how to confidently communicate their needs, strengths, and goals.
Post-Secondary Options
Guiding families through the exciting possibilities of college, trade schools, and vocational training.
Work Based Learning
Exploring jobs and industries through internships and on-the-job training opportunities
Self-Contained / Adaptive / Resource Students
Working in partnership with Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency and local school systems. Joshua Tree Service Group serves students by providing vocational education instruction throughout the school year to registered individuals in a Self-Contained classroom setting.
Self-Contained / Resource / Adaptive students will participate in up to 15 units of Pre-ETS instruction specific to their needs and abilities throughout the school year. Special emphasis will be placed on helping students discover self-worth, interests, abilities, and experiences. The program will include assistance with Special Olympics and other specific extracurricular activities associated (i.e. Night to Shine, etc).
Classes can be scheduled bi-weekly to accommodate the needs and availability of the students and the school system, up to the 15 unit maximum allowed by GVRA. In the 2025-2026 school year, Joshua Tree served over 75 high schools and groups located across Georgia and more than 1200 students.
These PTS services are designed to:
Build self-confidence
Develop self-worth
Define interests and skills
Improve social skills
Develop experiences to impact the lives of students
Transition Electives
Inclusion students will have the opportunity to choose from six Transition Electives throughout the school year. Each elective will be offered as a 5-day intensive course designed to provide students with concentrated instruction and meaningful career exploration experiences. Each elective includes a guest speaker central to the overall topic as well as a field trip to provide an up-close look at the chosen industry. Electives may be completed outside of the 5-day intensive track if desired (i.e. weekly, bi-weekly, etc). Please contact us for scheduling using the form below.
These elective programs are designed to:
Minimize disruption to academic schedules
Provide deeper engagement in specific career topics
Allow students to complete an entire elective in one week
Increase opportunities for employer and community partnerships
Create meaningful workplace exposure through industry tours
Developed through partnership with Ramsey Education, this elective provides students with an understanding of personal finance concepts so they can be better prepared to manage earnings, make informed financial decisions, and transition successfully into employment and adulthood.
Students will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to become safe, responsible drivers while exploring transportation-related career opportunities and understanding how transportation impacts employment and independent living. Students will have to opportunity to gain either a driving permit or state ID.
Students will develop food safety knowledge and workplace skills necessary for employment in the food service and hospitality industries. Students will have the opportunity to earn a nationally recognized ServSafe certification, enhancing their employability and preparing them for entry level positions in restaurants, food service operations, and related fields.
Students will gain life-saving skills through CPR and First Aid training while exploring careers in healthcare, public safety, and emergency response. Students who successfully complete the course will have the opportunity to earn a CPR/First Aid Certification through an approved training provider.
Students will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully transition from high school to postsecondary education or training programs. The elective will focus on college readiness, admissions processes, campus resources, and strategies for academic and personal success after graduation.
Students will develop the essential employability skills needed to successfully enter and maintain employment. The elective focuses on workplace expectations, communication, professionalism, job-seeking skills, and career success strategies. To provide a tailored experience for students, a specific work industry may be selected by the school for a group of students with specific interests.
If you are a SPED / Transition Coordinator and would like more information about Transition Electives, or if you would like to request Electives for your school, please contact us using the form below:
Partnerships
We are honored to partner with, sponsor, and support many great local and national organizations whose mission reflects the vision and heart of Joshua Tree. This includes, but it not limited to:
