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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - "You just gotta do what you gotta do."

That headstrong attitude has influenced most of 29-year-old Erin Cran's life, but never more so than when she gave birth to her daughter, Kylee, almost three years ago.

Erin Cran, who completed several courses at the Academy of Learning to obtain a job as a diagnostic imaging clerk at Stanton Territorial Hospital, revisits the academy campus with her nearly-three-year-old daughter Kylee. - Guy Quenneville/NNSL photo

Cran, a single mother, completed several courses at the Yellowknife-based Academy of Learning in order to get a job as a clerk in the diagnostic imaging department of the Stanton Territorial Hospital.

The courses - which included ones on medical terminology and medical office procedures - were required for her job.

The academy helped her determine what courses she needed to take, she said.

"They provided the guidance for me for the position that I wanted to apply for," said Cran.

She got the idea of going to the academy from her mother, who was completing a course in computerized accounting at the time.

She has been working part-time at Stanton for the last four years. Cran, who never finished high school but eventually wrote her general education development exam, is now moving on to something else - a degree in nursing from Aurora College - and it has everything to do with Kylee.

"Once you have a child, everything you do, you do for your child," said Cran.

She said she is used to multitasking. Before she attended the Academy of Learning, Cran was working both at JH Sissons school as a senior leader and as a dispatcher for City Cab.

"It was really stressful," she said.

Deep down, she knew she wanted to do more.

"I wanted to go to school to further my career," she said.

Cran said she is glad she ultimately chose to take courses at the academy.

"I'm patting myself on the back for my hard work and everything I've endured from day to day," she said.

For Cran, who never liked the classroom atmosphere of high school, the laid-back atmosphere of the academy was ideal.

There is no teacher speaking at the head of the room in front of a chalkboard. Instead, there are facilitators who help students through their work when help is needed.

But the biggest advantage, she said, is how the courses - done with textbooks but completed on the computer - are self-directed. Students can move at whatever pace they want.

Working 15 to 16 hours a day, Cran completed all her courses within months.

"I was raised to work hard, so that's what I do," she said.

"They learn on their own," said Susan Elvin, manager of the school.

"And a lot of the material is written in such a way that each section is two hours. So if you want to come in and do a section, you can plan that into your day.

"The manual walks you through the tasks, access certain documents, and those documents are on our computers."

Similarly, Cran's job at the hospital allows her a lot of flexibility.

"I can go to work for a half day, make as much as somebody in an eight-hour position in a regular job, and then I still get the rest of the day with my daughter," said Cran.

"I'm a single mom, so that gives me time to go sliding, do crafts, take her shopping, go to play dates."

When she finishes her nursing a degree, Cran said she would like to pursue a degree in medicine.