Illustration of a computer system being hacked. (QMI Agency/DEREK RUTTAN)

MONTREAL - If you can't beat 'em, hire 'em.

The firm that runs a community college website was so impressed with a student accused of hacking the portal it offered him a job.

Skytech Communications, which manages the Dawson College website, made the offer to Ahmed Al-Khabaz after his expulsion came to light this week.

The 20-year-old was kicked out of Quebec's largest community college in November after exposing a flaw in a student database run by Skytech.

Dawson admits Al-Khabaz exposed the security gap but says it expelled him after he ignored orders to stop accessing the system, which includes online student accounts.