Samina Sattar studies the implementation and impact of social programs with the aim of improving federal, state, and local policymaking. Her work explores the personal and structural barriers to employment for job seekers, including youth, public assistance recipients, and people involved with the justice system. She also examines promising strategies and interventions, including Registered Apprenticeship, employment-focused reentry, and improved data management for reporting and program improvement.
Sattar has led numerous qualitative and mixed-methods studies of employment programs for the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and foundations. She directs the Study of High-Quality Youth Apprenticeship in partnership with Jobs for the Future. This work takes place on behalf of a foundation collaborative, which seeks to generate evidence on (1) the outcomes for youth and employers who participate in youth apprenticeship and (2) promising practices of well-implemented programs. Sattar also directs the Pathway Home Reentry Evaluation for DOL, a partnership with Social Policy Research Associates to study jail- and prison-based reentry programs that link people leaving the corrections system with employment and training-focused services. She also recently led the Mathematica team for DOL’s Apprenticeship Evidence-Building Portfolio in partnership with the Urban Institute. The portfolio generated evidence on the impact and implementation of registered and unregistered apprenticeship, in addition to studying state apprenticeship systems, youth apprenticeship, and other topics.
Sattar is a member of the Apprenticeship Research Network. She joined Mathematica in 2007 and supervises researchers in the Education & Employment Department. She holds an MPA in public and nonprofit management and policy from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service.
Apprenticeships are evolving beyond traditional trades, opening career pathways in healthcare, IT, and education. To scale effectively, states must improve data integration, employer reporting, and collaboration—ensuring apprenticeships meet workforce demands.
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