But Hunter TAFE has “unequivocally” denied there were any cuts to funding in the hospitality courses.

A mix of mainstream and special needs students gathered at the TAFE yesterday and told the Mercury that TAFE teachers had told them they would not start their chosen courses.

Jake Standing wants to be a qualified chef and said he had no other study options.

“We were told funding had been cut,” Mr Standing said.

But when the Mercury contacted relieving Hunter TAFE director Christine Warrington, she maintained there had been an increase in the allocated budget for hospitality at Maitland.

Maitland TAFE was enrolling more students in hospitality than the 45 it enrolled last year, Ms Warrington said, and she would not explain why the students were told otherwise.

She said in a statement, “any student who had been enrolled in Hospitality Certificate II at Maitland TAFE during the January 2010 enrolment period would be placed in classes.”

The students are perplexed.

Jason Macbean has dreams of becoming a qualified chef, but was told he could not continue his Certificate III and IV in hospitality that he started last year.

The Louth Park man said he would now have to rely on his elderly grandparents to drive him to another TAFE campus because he was unlicensed and there was a lack of public transport near his home.

“I can’t get an apprenticeship until I’ve got certificate III,” he said.

“Apparently Certificate III and Certificate IV is full and I can’t get in ... Maitland is close to home.”

Lauren Bidner and her mum Helen travelled 45 minutes from East Gresford. She completed Certificate II last year and wanted to start Certificate III this year.

At least three special needs students have also been affected.

Hunter TAFE said any student who had been enrolled in Hospitality Certificate II at Maitland TAFE during the January 2010 enrolment period would be placed in classes.