Young people are more likely to consider career paths that don't strictly require a degree, one expert has said, suggesting that contracting may become more popular.

Sarah Clover, sales and marketing director at notgoingtouni.co.uk, said that the upcoming tuition fee rise and the abolition of Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) would mean that students are now considering a far broader range of options.

"I think a lot more young people will be looking at alternatives - not just apprenticeships, but ways to get a degree for free, such as employer-funded study, or at a fraction of the cost, like distance learning," he said.

This comes after senior managers at Oxford and Cambridge universities announced they are to charge students the maximum £9,000 per year in tuition fees from autumn 2012.

Meanwhile, Tanya de Grunwald, founder of GraduateFog.co.uk, said that those looking to work in the media, politics or charity sectors will be expected to work for free for several months before being considered for a poorly-paid job.