On November 5, 2024, Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) hosted a vital webinar for aspiring engineers on navigating the Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) process, a cornerstone of Ontario’s engineering licensure requirements. This session, led by PEO’s CEO Jennifer Quaglietta and Manager of Experience Assessment Adelson Ribeiro, drew an impressive turnout of nearly 3,000 participants, highlighting the significance of understanding the CBA requirements for professional growth.
The CBA is more than just an application step; it’s a structured process designed to evaluate applicants’ engineering experience and readiness to practice safely and ethically in Ontario. As PEO remains steadfast in its mission to protect the public by licensing only qualified engineers, the CBA serves as a critical measure, assessing key competencies and upholding high standards across the profession. This blog will unpack the essential points discussed in the session, from new resources and tools to practical tips for completing the Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) effectively. For engineers seeking licensure, mastering this process is a pivotal milestone on the path to professional recognition.
Purpose of the Competency-Based Assessment (CBA)
The Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) is a fundamental element of PEO’s licensure process, structured to assess whether applicants possess the engineering skills, knowledge, and professional judgment necessary for effective practice. PEO’s CEO, Jennifer Quaglietta, emphasized that this assessment is rooted in PEO’s statutory mandate to protect the public interest. By ensuring that only qualified engineers earn the license to practice in Ontario, the Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) upholds the integrity of the engineering profession and maintains high standards for public safety and professional accountability.
CBA is designed to rigorously evaluate applicants through a structured process that goes beyond basic qualifications. Applicants are required to demonstrate their ability to apply engineering principles across real-world situations, showcasing their expertise in core areas such as technical competence, communication, project management, and sustainability. This comprehensive approach allows PEO to assess candidates not only on their technical skills but also on their ability to uphold ethical and professional standards, reinforcing a culture of responsibility within Ontario’s engineering community.
In sum, Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) plays a crucial role in maintaining PEO’s commitment to public safety, serving as a transparent, consistent, and fair method to assess readiness for licensure in Ontario.
Key Components of the CBA Framework
The Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) framework is built around a series of structured components that provide a clear pathway for applicants to showcase their readiness for licensure. This framework includes 34 competencies grouped into seven core categories, each representing critical aspects of professional engineering practice. These categories are designed to ensure that applicants possess a well-rounded set of skills and knowledge, demonstrating their capacity to work safely, ethically, and effectively.
- Competencies and Categories: Each of the 34 competencies falls into one of seven categories:
- Technical Competence: Assesses the application of engineering principles to solve technical problems.
- Communication: Evaluates the applicant’s ability to convey technical information to various audiences, such as clients and team members.
- Project and Financial Management: Measures skills in managing engineering projects, including budgeting, scheduling, and resource allocation.
- Team Effectiveness: Focuses on collaboration skills and the ability to contribute positively to team success.
- Professional Accountability: Examines the applicant’s commitment to ethical practices and public safety.
- Social, Economic, Environmental, and Sustainability: Assesses awareness of broader social and environmental impacts of engineering work.
- Personal Continuing Professional Development: Encourages ongoing learning and the maintenance of current skills and knowledge.
- Rating System: The CBA framework uses a rating scale of 0 to 5 for each competency, allowing assessors to evaluate the level of competence an applicant demonstrates. Ratings range from “no exposure” (0) to “able to perform tasks of high complexity with little or no supervision” (5). Each competency has a minimum required score, and applicants must meet or exceed this score across all competencies. Additionally, each category has an average rating requirement, calculated by averaging the individual scores for the competencies within that category. Meeting these minimum ratings is essential for passing the assessment.
- Work Examples: To satisfy each competency, applicants are asked to provide specific work examples that demonstrate their application of engineering skills in real-world scenarios. PEO emphasizes the importance of detailing personal contributions using a structured approach:
- Situation: Describe the project or task.
- Action: Detail how you performed the task, including engineering principles, methods, and any standards or codes used.
- Outcome: Explain the results and the impact of your work, including any specific challenges or unique approaches you used to achieve a successful outcome.
This structured framework ensures a fair, transparent, and objective assessment of each applicant’s engineering experience, setting the standard for licensure in Ontario.
Overview of New Resources and Tools
To support applicants in navigating the Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) process, PEO has introduced a set of updated resources and tools designed to improve clarity and accessibility. These resources, developed in response to applicant feedback, aim to streamline the experience and provide practical guidance for completing the CBA effectively.
- Updated CBA Guides: PEO has launched revised applicant and validator guides that incorporate plain language principles, making the CBA process easier to follow. These guides outline each step of the application, with clear instructions on preparing work examples, using the rating scale, and understanding each competency category. Applicants are encouraged to use these guides as essential tools for completing their assessments confidently and accurately.
- CBA Video Series: Complementing the updated guides, PEO introduced a new video series to offer additional support through a visual format. This series walks applicants through the CBA framework and highlights best practices for addressing competencies. Designed to break down complex concepts into manageable insights, these videos are accessible on PEO’s website and YouTube channel and offer applicants a helpful resource to review each phase of the Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) process.
- Self-Serve Portal: In May 2023, PEO launched an online application portal that provides a streamlined, user-friendly experience for applicants. The portal allows candidates to submit their experience records, assign validators, and track their application status in one place. The portal simplifies submission and communication, enabling applicants to manage their licensing journey more efficiently while maintaining transparency with PEO staff.
These new resources reflect PEO’s commitment to supporting applicants throughout their licensing journey, making the CBA process more approachable, transparent, and aligned with the needs of aspiring engineers.
Validator Requirements and Responsibilities
Validators play a crucial role in the Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) process, as they confirm the accuracy and relevance of an applicant’s work examples by rating each competency. Their evaluations provide PEO with a reliable measure of an applicant’s qualifications from a direct supervisor or peer perspective, adding a layer of credibility to the applicant’s self-assessment.
- Role of Validators: Validators assess the applicant’s proficiency in each competency by reviewing specific work examples and rating the applicant’s level of competence. This external validation serves as a key input for PEO’s qualification assessors, who make the final licensing decision. Validators offer insights based on their direct experience with the applicant, either as supervisors, senior colleagues, or knowledgeable peers. Read more about the Validator Guide for CBA here. This guide supports applicants who submitted before May 15, 2023.
- Eligibility Criteria: To ensure reliable assessments, validators are required to meet specific criteria:
- For Canadian work experience, validators must be licensed Professional Engineers (P.Eng.) in Canada.
- For international experience, validators do not need to hold a Canadian license, but PEO recommends they be licensed in their home jurisdiction or be recognized as senior practitioners. Validators must have direct knowledge of the applicant’s work to provide an informed assessment of their competencies.
- Collaboration Tips: Effective communication between applicants and validators is essential for a smooth Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) process. Applicants should:
- Maintain regular contact with their validators throughout the application to ensure they understand the validation process and expectations.
- Confirm the validator’s availability and willingness to provide timely responses to PEO.
- Use the updated CBA guides and resources to keep validators informed of any requirements or changes in the process.
By fulfilling their role, validators contribute significantly to the transparency and integrity of the CBA process, helping PEO evaluate applicants accurately and fairly.
Commonly Asked Questions and Clarifications about Competency-Based Assessment (CBA)
During the session, PEO addressed several frequently asked questions to help applicants better understand the Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) requirements and process. Here are some key clarifications that may assist applicants in navigating specific scenarios:
