U.S. executives at large companies confirm that a skills gap persists for their businesses, with 46 percent concerned that they won’t have the skills they need in the next one to two years, according a skills and employment trends survey released today by Accenture (NYSE:ACN). Forty-four percent said they did have the skills needed for today and for the next 12 to 24 months.

Fifty-one percent of companies expect to increase investments in training over the next two years, and 35 percent of executives whose companies are facing a skills shortage reported that they have not invested enough in training in the past.

For those executives who have or are anticipating a skills shortage, the biggest demand is for IT skills at 44 percent and engineering at 36 percent.

Executives were asked the functions at their company in which they believe there is or may be a shortage of people with the required skills in the next 12 to 24 months. Responses include:

• Information technology: 44 percent
• Engineering: 36 percent
• Research and development: 29 percent
• Sales: 29 percent
• Manufacturing/production: 25 percent
• Marketing: 23 percent
• Risk and regulatory: 22 percent
• Human resources: 18 percent
• Legal: 15 percent
• Finance: 13 percent

The Accenture 2013 Skills and Employment Trends Survey: Perspectives on Training surveyed 400 executives at large US companies.