Employees believe they have more skills than three years ago and many feel they are over-skilled for their jobs but their bosses don't agree, according to a new study.

The survey of 6,000 employees and 6,000 businesses in Wales found that employers needed a better skilled workforce with IT training topping the wish list followed by management and leadership skills.

Businesses also needed staff to be better at understanding customer needs, communicating, showing initiative and working in teams.

More than half of those surveyed - 53 per cent - had sent staff on off-the-job training in the last 12 months.

As for the staff themselves, they felt they were better skilled than three years ago and most respondents were convinced that their skill levels were higher than necessary for their current jobs.

The gap between management and employees' perceptions of training needs came in the first part of research aimed at providing a picture of skills supply and demand in Wales.

The Future Skills Wales 2003 focused on the general skills that people need to work across a wide range of occupations.

The research was designed to help businesses, public sector planners and training providers ensure that Wales builds up the skills it needs.

Results from the last survey in 1998 led to the creation of a range of new training courses and techniques for advising people on career opportunities.

Follow-up reports will forecast the kind of jobs likely to be created in Wales over the next decade and show people which skills are likely to be most valuable to them as they develop their careers.