SHELDON, Iowa (KCAU) — A local college celebrated an upgraded facility that will help the next generation of healthcare workers in Siouxland.

Northwest Iowa Community College held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newly remodeled and expanded health science building. The modern building features various labs which interconnect just like a real hospital.

A school official said it’s crucial to give students a classroom experience that closely resembles the real world.

“We also have a lot of interdisciplinary work that can go on between departments and that’s what healthcare is now. So when you go out into the healthcare field, you’re seeing everyone work together and we’re trying to give that skill to students right away before they even get out into the field,” said Leah Murphy of Northwest Iowa Community College.

One of the notable features of the new building are state of the art mannequins so students can practice skills in realistic scenarios without worrying about hurting an actual patient