Pre-Employment Transition Services Before and After the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

Abstract

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to review and analyze studies on pre-employment transition services (pre-ETS) conducted before and after the passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA) to capture decades of changes in these studies. A content analysis of literature was conducted on 95 studies on pre-ETS implemented in the United States and published between 1974 and 2023. Results showed that job exploration counseling, and counseling on postsecondary-education opportunities were rarely represented in the analyzed studies. Additionally, in studies published before and after WIOA, quantitative research was the commonly implemented method. The analysis also indicated that the participants in these studies differed in their roles, racial/ethnic backgrounds, and disability categories. Some of these characteristics were overwhelmingly overrepresented. The results also highlight that transition-related interventions were effective in preparing students for the world of work. The positive effects and importance of pre-ETS were also revealed along with several challenges that emphasize the importance of increasing interagency collaboration and providing stakeholders with the needed information and resources for pre-ETS implementation. Finally, the limitations of the included studies are highlighted and implications for future research and practices are discussed.