You may be able to learn a skill in a year (2-4 years is more likely), but doing it on your own is crazy difficult. Even for adult students returning to school and with the benefit of the structure and peer support, it is far from easy. I've done it and it took me about 4 years. I have a lot, and I mean a lot, in my favor; more than 95% of my peers. If someone is raising a kid while working, especially as a single parent, I couldn't expect them to do the same thing; I know that I couldn't. It's certainly possible to do, but the amount of discipline and perseverance required is what you'd expect from astronauts, not run-of-the-mill folks.