PSA House in Palmerston North to become UCOL's Healthcare and Social Services Centre

An architect's mock-up of UCOL's Healthcare and Social Services Centre. Photo / Supplied

PSA House in Palmerston North's King St is being transformed into UCOL's Healthcare and Social Services Centre.

Gibbons, a property investment firm from Nelson, has purchased PSA House and has started a complete interior refurbishment.

The centre will house practical courses for nursing, medical imaging, social services, and mental health education.

"It's a significant investment, which will help us better support the growing number of learners who are interested in health and social fields," UCOL chief financial officer Brian Trott says.

"This update has been part of our strategic planning for some time, and extensive planning has gone into it. We're thrilled to have Gibbons sign on and work with us to make it a reality."

Penny O'Leary, UCOL's executive dean of health, social services and applied sciences, is excited for students and staff as the facility will provide more options for practical teaching and learning.

"We're seeing more and more interest from learners wanting to develop their skills in healthcare and social services, including mental health support. Our graduates want to help those in need in our community," she says.

"This construction will better reflect the environments that learners will one day be working in, helping build their work-readiness so they can jump straight in.

"We started this project with strong industry support, with our partners acknowledging that this sector is vital to our region's economy, both as a priority growth area and as the biggest contributor to earnings in the region. There's a need for more training and upskilling the workforce, and our new facility will play a big part in supporting our local employers and community."

The centre is expected to be open just before Christmas.