LONDON — J. Sainsbury P.L.C., which operates supermarkets in the United Kingdom, has partnered with flour supplier Whitworth to create the first supermarket bakery college in the United Kingdom.

The college, which will be located in Wellingborough on site with one of Whitworth’s bakeries, is expected to cut the time it takes bakers to complete National Vocational Qualifications (N.V.Q.) training in half, to 6 months from 12 months previously. As a result, qualified bakers will be sent into stores more quickly, Sainsbury said.

“The college will get more qualified bakers into our stores more quickly, which will improve the quality of our offer at the same time as providing our colleagues with the skills they need to carve out a long and rewarding career in retail,” said Justin King, chief executive officer of Sainsbury. “This is just one of the many initiatives through which we provide our colleagues with skills and training.”