ROYAL Navy recruiters used top-of-the-line tech to give Swindon jobseekers a look at what it's like to work in a submarine.

Shared Services Connected Limited brought virtual reality headsets to the Swindon Jobs Fair at the County Ground to show residents living far from the coast a glimpse of life beneath the waves.

Director of resourcing services at SSCL David Parsons said: "Spending many weeks at a time submerged, Royal Navy submariners spend long periods of intense focus on everything from surveillance and intelligence gathering, to conducting covert operations with special forces.

“It is work that requires unique skills. By using VR to provide a glimpse into the world of life in the Royal Navy, we hope to appeal to those living in towns like Swindon, where a career in the submarine service is not usually the obvious choice.”

The jobs fair visit is part of a campaign to recruit 250 submariners to the service by the end of 2020.

Jobseekers heard how successful applicants receive specialist training which provides a degree-level professional qualification.

Workforce experts were on hand with details of the submariner roles currently on offer, which include warfare specialists, medical assistants and weapon engineers.

Director of recruiting Captain Pete Viney said: “The submarine service is a unique, challenging, yet hugely rewarding place to work.

"Submariners are part of an elite team within UK Defence, working with sophisticated technology and taking on some of the most demanding tasks in the Royal Navy.

“Making them accessible to the broadest possible range of people, including those who may not have historically considered a role in the Royal Navy, enables us to attract the very best candidates,

"These are highly-specialised roles that can be difficult to recruit.We are looking for people that possess the right skills and mentality for a successful and rewarding career as a submariner.”

The new Royal Navy recruitment drive is the latest high-profile government resourcing campaign to be managed by SSCL, a unique joint venture between digital experts Sopra Steria and the Cabinet Office.

As part of the campaign, prospective submariners can register their interest in finding out more about a career in the Royal Navy by visiting www.beneath-the-waves.co.uk.