Core Focus
Youth & Young Adults, 16–24
Opportunity youth, first-generation job seekers and young people in under-resourced neighborhoods — building the skills, confidence and connections to launch a career.
Rooted in St. Louis · Built for communities everywhere
Every young person deserves a ready start.
When it’s time to go from good to great… it’s Hawk Time.
Hawk Time prepares young people ages 16–24 — and the adults building new futures beside them — for work, leadership and life. We partner with governments, foundations, schools and employers to reach underserved communities with programs that deliver measurable results.
Marlon Whitfield
Founder · Consultant · Speaker
3,000+
Youth & adults reached
400+
Trained & placed in jobs
5 yrs
Workforce partnerships
2015
Serving communities since
Who We Serve
Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not.
Around the world, millions of young people are out of school and out of work. We focus where the gap is widest — and where the right preparation changes a whole life.
Adults in Transition
Job seekers re-entering the workforce, changing careers or moving up — with practical readiness and leadership training.
Organizations That Serve Them
Nonprofits, schools, workforce agencies and employers who need proven programs, trained staff and community reach.
The Hawk Time Readiness Model
Four practices. One outcome: readiness.
Delivered as standalone workshops, multi-week cohorts, keynotes or full program partnerships — and adapted to the culture, language and needs of each community.
01
Workforce Readiness
Job readiness training, mock interviews and soft-skills workshops that move participants from application to offer.
02
Career Development
Career exploration, pathway planning and placement support for youth and adults ready for their next step.
03
Leadership Training
Facilitated trainings for teams and emerging leaders — communication, de-escalation, influence and accountability.
04
Community Engagement
Outreach campaigns, events and youth programs that connect organizations with the people they exist to serve.
Proven Results
Proven in St. Louis. Ready to scale.
A decade of partnerships with workforce boards, universities, school districts and national employers — the same model, ready for your community.
Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis
Save Our Sons & Sisters
Job readiness training and job placement for 400+ youth and adults.
FWCA & Urban League
Career Readiness Partnership
Five years of mock interviews, trainings, workshops and outreach events reaching 3,000+ people.
Harris-Stowe State University · NSF
Award-Winning STEM Symposium
Radio, social and print campaign for high schoolers — named the top STEM event among HBCUs.
Saint Louis Public Schools
On The Set Film Camp
After-school film camp where students wrote, shot and screened two short films for their whole school.
Walmart Community Relief
St. Louis Tornado Response
On the ground with water, food and hot plates for residents — funded through a Walmart community grant.
Your organization could be next.
Start a conversationIn the Field
Not just talk. Showing up.
From packed ballrooms to school gyms and parking lots, this is what readiness looks like when it reaches people where they are.
Keynotes & Workshops
Bring Marlon to your stage.
Engaging, practical talks for conferences, schools, staff development days and youth programs — each tailored to your audience.
Check Availability- 01Purpose & VisionFinding your why and turning it into direction.
- 02Leadership & InfluenceLeading people well — with or without a title.
- 03Mindset & ResilienceStaying steady and growing through setbacks.
- 04Relationships & TeamworkBuilding trust that makes teams work.
- 05Freedom & AbundanceCreating options for your life and career.
Meet the Founder
Marlon Whitfield
“My name is Marlon Whitfield, and I am the founder of Hawk Time, LLC — a St. Louis-based consulting and professional development company.”
Since 2015, Marlon has designed and facilitated trainings, led community campaigns and spoken to thousands of young people and adults. His work sits where people development meets community impact: preparing individuals for opportunity, and helping organizations reach the communities that need them most.
Public agencies, foundations, schools and employers partner with Hawk Time for programs that are practical, culturally responsive and measured by real outcomes.
For Funders & Partners
A partner you can invest in.
Outcomes You Can Report
Enrollment, completion and placement tracked and documented for every cohort — ready for your grant reporting.
Built to Scale
Curriculum and facilitator guides designed to be delivered in-person, virtually or through train-the-trainer models.
Community Trust
We show up where the need is — outreach, events and relationships that bring hard-to-reach participants through the door.
Contract-Ready
An established LLC since 2015 with experience on public workforce contracts, university grants and corporate partnerships.
Trusted by
Urban League of Metropolitan St. LouisFWCAHarris-Stowe State UniversityNational Science FoundationSaint Louis Public SchoolsWalmart
When it’s time to go from good to great…
it’s Hawk Time.
Funders, agencies, schools and employers — wherever you are, tell us about the people you serve. We’ll design the program, partnership or proposal to reach them.