A new £2million health, care and sciences centre complete with a mock hospital ward could be built at an Ipswich college.
Suffolk New College has applied for funding through the Education Skills Funding Agency to help finance the plans, which if successful would see the four-storey centre built in Rope Walk.
It would be the new home for the college's health and social care and science lessons, complete with specialist facilities.
Among the major facilities would include a mock hospital ward and mock nursery, as well as biology and chemistry labs and a dedicated physics space.
It is hoped the facilities will help educate a new generation of local NHS staff.
Mary Gleave, vice principal of Suffolk New College said: "The project will provide specialist facilities to support a key priority area for employment in the region, and also to meet growth in courses and student numbers.
“The provisionally titled Centre for Care, Health and Science will provide an entrance way through into the college site and is part of the wider education and innovation quarter of Ipswich.
“The overriding aim is for students to experience real life mock environments such as hospital wards and a crèche that will test their skills prior to them progressing into higher education or the workplace.
"I think now more than ever it is essential that we are able to train the next generation of care, health and science workers to support the NHS and other associated industries.
"The project has support from a range of employers and key stakeholders, however it is subject to the college achieving the necessary funding.”
The planning application comes as the college awaits completion of its new £2.4m "Tech Campus", which is hoped to open in September.
The Tech Campus will teach up to 80 students at a time in subjects such as cyber security, ESPORTS, games design, and a brand new T-level course in digital production.
Ms Gleave added: “The c£2m project will be a sister building to a new £2.4m Tech Campus currently being built that will open in September.
"It will be slightly smaller than the Tech Campus but the design is the same, utilising sustainable and environmentally friendly construction methods."
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