Seattle Public Schools

Exploratory Internship Program (XIP)

Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS)

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Pre-Employment Transition Services (DVR Pre-ETS)

Services are funded by DVR (free for students)

To apply for any opportunity, please fill out the Pre-ETS Information and Consent Form (page 1 only) and then email to kemeyer@xlqx.net.

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), part of DSHS provides service for students with disabilities to learn skills and get ready for work. The services can be weekly workshops at school, after-school virtual sessions, college or workplace tours, paid or unpaid internships, summer week-long boot camps, and other opportunities. To be eligible, students need to be ages 14-21, attending school, and have an IEP, 504 Plan or documented disability.

There are five (5) parts to Pre-ETS services:

  • Counseling on Post-Secondary Programs-Learning about education and training after high school (like campus visits, how to apply & enroll, how to apply for financial aid, etc)
  • Job Exploration-Exploring the world of work, interests, abilities & future goals (like interest inventories, career pathways, researching in-demand industries, etc)
  • Self-Advocacy-Developing skills to flourish in the economy & life (like self determination, disability disclosure, etc)
  • Work Readiness-Preparing to enter work & live independently (like soft skills, hygiene, time management, dress for success, etc)
  • Work-Based Learning-Trying out jobs & gaining work experience (like job shadows, workplace tours, informational interviews, volunteering, paid & unpaid internships, etc)

DVR provides more info about Pre-ETS on their website and in an animated More information about Pre-ETS video.

Interested in applying for Pre-ETS at your school or any of the opportunities below? Download & fill out page 1 of the Pre-ETS Information and Consent form and email it to Katherine Meyer at kemeyer@xlqx.net.

Pre-ETS Opportunities

The Youth Exploration Program is designed to introduce career exploration to in-school youth ages 14-21 with an IEP or 504 Plan to apprentice-able pathways in the trades.

Who: Students ages 14-21 with an IEP, 504 Plan or documented disability

What: Work-Readiness Classroom Workshops: Held virtually or in-person during the school year. * Summer Boot Camps: Work-based learning, 40-hour paid training. * Exploring Trades Careers: Through job site tours, informational interviews, and job shadowing, when available. * Strength Building: How to support ones needs while practicing self-advocacy, workplace communication, and team building

Where: At school, ANEW Training Center (18338 Andover Park West, Tukwila WA 98188) & in the community

When: Ongoing

How: Fill out front page of DVR Consent Form (link at top of this webpage) and email with the Subject ANEW Summer Boot Camp to kemeyer@xlqx.net

More info about ANEW Youth Exploration Program.

ANEW logo

Seattle’s first non profit landscaping company! High quality landscaping services, with training & employment opportunities for young adults with disabilities. All profits support NOC Society (nocsociety.com) social programs for individuals with disabilities. When you hire Awesome Possum Landscaping, you receive top quality work & help support an inclusive community!

Who: Students with disabilities interested in landscaping careers

What: On-the-job landscape training

Where: Greater Seattle area

How: Fill out front page of DVR Consent Form (link at top of this webpage) and email with the Subject Awesome Possum Landscaping to kemeyer@xlqx.net

More info about Awesome Possum Landscaping.

Awesome Possum Landscaping, Seattle, Washington logo

Our own, local DVR (Division of Vocational Rehabilitation) Business Team will be hosting a series of virtual workshops this school year to help students increase their skills in the areas of Job Exploration, Work Readiness & Self-Advocacy!

Who: Students ages 14-21 with an IEP, 504 Plan or documented disability

What: Workshops about important topics to help students prepare for post-secondary careers

  1. Modern job search, and job retention strategies and techniques-Tips on how to obtain, maintain, and advance in employment. * Vocational Rehabilitation Services * Access The Expertise and Insights of a Mentor (Pathful Explore)
  2. Resumes and Cover Letters-A Well-Designed Resume Helps You Stand Out (Pathful Explore)
  3. Job Interviewing Skills-Highlighting core interviewing skills that cut across all jobs and busting myths related to job interviews. * “First job” Interview No-Nos (Pathful Explore) * A Disability Can Be an Advantage (Pathful Explore)
  4. Labor Market information-Highlighting current labor trends and projecting future labor market trends. How can we equip students to stay current/competitive/stand out? * Pathful Explore * O*Net
  5. Disclosing disability and the process of requesting a reasonable accommodation-An Accommodation Can help You Do Your Job Better (Pathful Explore)
  6. Guest Speakers * Culinary/Hospitality Industry * Working with animals * Video/Computer games and any other focus area in Technology * Retail/Customer Service * Environmental Conservation

Where: Online

When: Throughout the 2023-24 school year; first Wednesday of each month

Why: Help students prepare for the job search process & to find success on the job

How: Fill out front page of DVR Consent Form (link at top of this webpage) and email with the Subject DVR to kemeyer@xlqx.net

Join us for a virtual Video Game Design Fall Camp! Create, develop & code your own games!

Who: Students who are age 16-21 with an IEP, 504 Plan or documented disability

What: Meet professional video game developers & learn more about careers in the video game industry. * Learn hands-on skills & techniques to design & build video games. * Learn UX design & develop your ideas as you play. * Gain work-readiness skills & hands-on project work experience.

Where: Online

Requirements: You can sit at the computer for up to three hours a day. You can use the microphone and camera on Zoom during class time to talk with teachers. You can focus, follow directions, interact and implement virtually delivered online instruction.

How: Fill out front page of DVR Consent Form (link at top of this webpage) and email with the Subject Computing for All to kemeyer@xlqx.net

Questions? Contact leslie@computingforall.org or holly.montana@dshs.wa.gov

CFA Computing for All logo

Looking for a Career Pathway in Tech? Computing For All’s (CFA’s) Pre-Apprenticeship offers 45 hours of hands-on skills training per quarter, Fall through Spring & another 120 hours in the Summer. Students are paid a stipend for this earn- while-you learn internship. Classes take place virtually on Zoom except for occasional meetings at local tech companies.

Who: Students ages 16-24 who have an IEP, 504 Plan or documented disability

What: CFA Instructors and visiting professional IT mentors from local tech companies provide career awareness, project work & both tech skills & soft skills instruction.

You will:

  • Develop a final proiect and build a professional presentation
  • Deliver vour presentation to peers and mentors
  • Receive a stipend check at the end of each guarter

Where: Online

When: Tuesdays & Thursdays, September 26-November 16, 4:00-6:45 pm

More: The CFA Pre-Apprenticeship prepares you for * An IT Apprenticeship like Apprenti * Entry into a two or four-year college IT career pathway * An IT tech internship with a local company * Industry certifications

CFA offers six levels of sequential web development instruction & hands-on project work two evenings a week during the school year + 20 hours a week during the Summer:

  • Level 1: Intro to Python
  • Level 2: Intro to HTML and CSS
  • Level 3: Intro to JavaScript
  • Level 4: Front-End Web Development
  • Level 5: Intro to Back End Web Development
  • Level 6: Full-Stack applications and projects
  • Last Mile Training (Optional)

How: Apply online at the Computing for All website & they’ll contact you for an interview. Also, fill out front page of DVR Consent Form (link at top of this webpage) and email with the Subject CFA Pre-Apprenticeship to kemeyer@xlqx.net

Questions? Contact Leslie@computingforall.org

Preparing students for college & the workplace

Who: Students with disabilities ages 16-21

What: Opportunities to learn self-advocacy & workplace readiness skills, and discover personal strengths. * Informational Interviews & Job Site Tours * Connections with paid internships for students who complete each session

Where: Online and/or In-Person at Edmonds College

Why: Get a head start preparing for college/training & the workplace

How: Fill out front page of DVR Consent Form (link at top of this webpage) and email with the Subject Pursuit Lab to kemeyer@xlqx.net

Pursuit Lab College & Career Prep for Students with Disabilities Summer Enrollment Now Open

Person-Centered, Strength-Based, and Outcome Oriented services focused on promoting movement from school to post-school activities.

Who: Students ages 16-21 with an IEP, 504 Plan or documented disability

What: Self-Advocacy Workshops, including topics such as •Communication skills • Requesting accommodations • Networking and advocacy Workplace Readiness Workshops, including topics such as, • When and how to disclose your disability • Soft skills • Professionalism

Where: Summit Community Center, 1830 Broadway, Suite 102C, Seattle WA 98122

Why: Increase social skills to better engage in and around the community

How: Fill out front page of DVR Consent Form (link at top of this webpage) and email with the Subject Summit Community Center to kemeyer@xlqx.net

*Pre-ETS Consent Forms (to apply for any services above) are available in multiple languages: English, Amharic (Ge’ez), Arabic, Cambodian (Khmer), Chinese (Mandarin), English, Korean, Laotian (Lao), Persian (Farsi), Punjabi (Shahmukhi), Russian (Cyrillic), Somali, Spanish (Espanol), Ukranian (Cyrillic), Vietnamese (tieng Viet). Please email for any version kemeyer@xlqx.net