What Is Competency Based Assessment (CBA)?

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. In a PEO information session, Jennifer Quaglietta, then PEO’s CEO, emphasized that this assessment is rooted in PEO’s statutory mandate to protect the public interest. By ensuring that only qualified engineers earn the licence to practise 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 Competency-Based Assessment (CBA)

Competency Based Assessment (CBA) is built on several key components that collectively ensure an applicant’s readiness for Professional Engineer (PEng) licensure in Canada. These components are designed to evaluate an applicant’s technical proficiency, leadership abilities, ethical judgment, and professional experience within the engineering domain. Below are the essential elements that make up the CBA process:

Competency Categories

The CBA framework assesses engineering competencies across a broad range of categories, with each category reflecting a core skill set required for successful engineering practice. PEO uses 34 competencies in seven categories:

• Technical Competence: The ability to apply engineering principles to design, analyze, and solve problems. This includes understanding and integrating technical regulations, codes, and safety standards.
• Communication: Verbal and written communication with colleagues, clients and the public, and reading and understanding technical documents.
• Project and Financial Management: Competencies related to managing projects effectively, ensuring they are completed within scope, time, and budget, while maintaining high standards of quality and safety.
• Team Effectiveness: The ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, resolve conflicts, and manage interpersonal dynamics to achieve project goals.
• Professional Accountability: Demonstrating a strong ethical framework, understanding the scope of professional practice, and adhering to the Code of Ethics while ensuring public safety.
• Social, Economic, Environmental and Sustainability: Understanding how engineering work affects the public and the environment, the role of regulatory bodies, and applying sustainability principles.
• Personal Continuing Professional Development: Completing professional development activities, recognizing your own knowledge gaps and planning your development.

Self-Assessment

A critical step in the Competency Based Assessment process, the self-assessment allows applicants to evaluate their own skills, knowledge, and experience. Engineers must review each competency category, provide detailed examples of how they have applied these competencies in their professional work, and rate their level of proficiency. The self assessment in CBA not only provides a personal reflection but also helps assessors understand the applicant’s perspective on their own competencies and readiness for independent practice.

Competency Rating Scale

Applicants are required to rate their competency levels on a scale of 0 to 5, where 0 indicates no competence, and 5 represents mastery or expert-level proficiency. This rating is crucial for the Competency-Based Assessment process as it helps evaluators gauge the applicant’s qualifications and match their experience to the requirements of each competency. The ratings also help highlight areas for development, which may require additional experience or training before licensure.

PEO does not expect ratings of 4 or 5. The minimums are category averages of 3 (Technical Competence), 3 (Communication), 2 (Project and Financial Management), 3 (Team Effectiveness), 3 (Professional Accountability), 2 (Social, Economic, Environmental and Sustainability) and 3 (Personal Continuing Professional Development); at least 1 on every competency; and at least 3 on the professional-standards competencies 1.1, 1.6, 1.9, 2.3 and 5.1 (2 on 6.2). PEO’s assessors’ ratings alone decide the outcome; your self-ratings and your validators’ ratings are supplementary.

Work Examples and Documentation

A critical component of the CBA is the submission of work examples. These are detailed descriptions of real-world engineering tasks or projects that the applicant has completed. Each work example should demonstrate how the applicant applied the relevant engineering competencies, with clear evidence of the applicant’s contributions, decision-making process, and the impact of their work. These examples allow assessors to evaluate the applicant’s technical and practical experience, confirming their competence in addressing engineering challenges.

Validator Input

Validators are experienced professionals, typically licensed engineers (P.Eng.), who are assigned to review and verify the applicant’s work examples. Validators play a crucial role in assessing the validity of the applicant’s competencies and providing an independent, third-party evaluation. They must confirm that the applicant has met the required competency levels, ensuring that the engineering work submitted aligns with industry standards and regulations. Validators also help maintain the integrity of the CBA process by ensuring that applicants’ competencies are genuinely reflective of their on-the-job performance.

At PEO the minimum is one validator in total, with exactly one validator per competency; one person can validate all 34. For work done in Canada, the validator must have been a licensed P.Eng. in Canada when the work was carried out. For work abroad, the validator should be a senior engineer licensed in that jurisdiction. Family members are typically not acceptable. Validators rate each assigned example from 0 to 5 and send their ratings and comments to PEO in confidence; you do not see them.

Final Assessment and Recommendation

When your work examples and self-ratings are complete, you assign a validator to each example and notify your validators through PEO’s portal. After that point you can no longer change your experience information.

Validators, typically P.Eng. members, then rate the examples assigned to them based on their direct knowledge of your engineering work, and send their ratings and feedback directly to PEO. Since July 1, 2026, you can mark the experience requirement complete only once you have at least 24 months of eligible experience and your CBA has been completed and validated, so validation happens before you submit your application.

After you submit, PEO’s assessors review your examples, self-ratings and validator input, and their ratings alone determine whether you meet the standard for licensure. The outcome is a licence or a Registrar’s Notice of Proposal to refuse, which you can challenge at a Registration Committee hearing (see what a PEO Notice of Proposal means).

Step-by-Step Guide to Submitting a CBA Application

Submitting your Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) application is a crucial part of obtaining your Professional Engineer (PEng) license in Canada. To ensure a smooth process and increase the likelihood of success, follow this step-by-step guide.

Step 1: Collecting and Organizing Your Work Experience into Relevant Competencies

The first step in submitting your CBA application is gathering and organizing your engineering work experience. The CBA requires you to categorize your professional experience into relevant competency categories, such as technical competence, project management, and professional accountability.

Each competency category is aligned with the skills and knowledge required for effective engineering practice in Canada. For each of the 34 competencies, you provide one work example that demonstrates your proficiency; the same project can support several competencies if each write-up is tailored to the competency. These examples should clearly illustrate how you applied the relevant engineering principles and how your work aligns with the competency criteria.

Tip: Start early by reviewing PEO’s CBA Applicant Guide (August 2026) and mapping your experiences to the required competencies. This will ensure you capture all the necessary details and avoid last-minute scrambling. Since July 1, 2026, you can start building your CBA in the portal as soon as you open an application.

Step 2: Rating Your Competencies on a Scale of 0-5

Once you’ve organized your work experience, the next step is to rate your competencies. Each competency is assessed on a scale of 0 to 5, where:

• 0 represents no competence.
• 1-2 represent novice to intermediate-level proficiency.
• 3 indicates a competent, independent practitioner.
• 4-5 reflect advanced to expert-level mastery.

It’s essential to provide an honest and accurate self-assessment. The self-rating will give assessors insight into your own perspective on your abilities, helping them gauge whether your skills align with the required standards for professional licensure. Keep in mind that ratings that are too high or too low without appropriate justification can raise concerns, so be sure to back up your ratings with concrete examples of your work and decision-making.

Step 3: Notifying Your Validators

When your examples are final, assign a validator to each one and notify them through PEO’s portal. Validators are experienced engineers, typically P.Eng. members, who review your competency examples and confirm the authenticity of your work experience. Once PEO notifies your validators, you can no longer change your experience information, so check your examples first.

Validators should have first-hand knowledge of your work and be able to assess your performance accurately. They can be supervisors, managers, mentors, or colleagues who were involved in the engineering tasks you’ve described.

Validators rate each example assigned to them and send their ratings and feedback directly to PEO in confidence; you do not see them. Their input is part of the evidence PEO’s assessors review.

Tip: Talk to potential validators before you notify them through the portal, to make sure they are available and willing to take part.

Step 4: Submitting Your Application

You can mark the experience requirement complete only when you have at least 24 months of eligible experience and your CBA has been completed and validated. Your application then includes:

• Detailed work examples that align with the assessed competencies.
• Self-assessment ratings for each competency.
• Completed validations from validators who have first-hand knowledge of your work.

Ensure that all required documents are complete and aligned with PEO’s CBA Applicant Guide before submission. PEO confirms within 10 business days whether your application is complete and decides within 90 days.

Tip: Double-check your submission for clarity and completeness. Ensure that your work examples are well documented and your self-ratings are justified. Your validators send their ratings and feedback directly to PEO in confidence, so you do not see or include them.

Common Mistakes to Avoid During the Competency Based Assessment Process

While the CBA process is straightforward, there are several common mistakes that applicants should avoid to ensure their application is successful.

Lack of Specificity in Examples

One of the most common mistakes applicants make is providing vague or generic descriptions of their work experience. To strengthen your application, ensure that each work example is detailed and quantifiable. Describe specific projects, the challenges you faced, the actions you took, and the outcomes achieved. Use metrics and data wherever possible to demonstrate the impact of your work. Avoid using broad statements that do not provide concrete evidence of your competence.

Tip: Break down your work examples into the Situation, Action, and Outcome format to ensure clarity and specificity​.

Improper Validator Selection

Choosing the right validators is crucial to the success of your Competency Based Assessment application. Validators must have direct, first-hand knowledge of your work and should be able to provide an accurate and honest assessment of your competencies. Selecting individuals who were not involved in your engineering tasks, or those who lack relevant professional experience, can lead to rejected applications or unverified work experience.

Tip: Select validators who have worked with you closely on projects and are familiar with your engineering contributions. This helps ensure that your competencies are validated with strong credibility​.

Overlooking the Rating System

A common pitfall during the CBA process is misrating competencies. Some applicants may rate their competencies too high or too low, which can skew the assessment. Overestimating your skills without supporting evidence may raise concerns with assessors, while underestimating your abilities could lead to missed opportunities to demonstrate your full potential.

Tip: Be honest in your self-assessment and make sure each rating is supported by the work example you wrote. Your validators rate your examples independently and in confidence, so do not try to match their ratings. Use the rating scale and the minimum levels in PEO’s CBA Applicant Guide to understand the expectations for each competency level.

By following these guidelines and avoiding common mistakes, you’ll increase your chances of submitting a successful CBA application and moving forward on your path to obtaining your PEng license in Canada.

Practical Tips for Competency Based Assessment Submission

PEO’s information sessions and its current CBA Applicant Guide (August 2026) offer practical tips for applicants working on their Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) submission. Here are some key recommendations to help applicants create clear, compelling work examples and streamline their submission process:

Choosing Strong Work Examples: Select examples that best demonstrate your skills for each competency. You’re not required to use separate examples for every competency; a single example may address multiple competencies if it showcases a range of skills. Tailor your descriptions to focus on the specific skills or knowledge each competency requires, even when reusing examples across different competencies.

Use a Structured Approach: Follow the “Situation, Action, Outcome” format when describing each work example. Clearly state the project or task (Situation), explain your personal contributions and methods used (Action), and describe the results and impact of your work (Outcome). Use the first person (“I”) to emphasize your direct involvement, and keep descriptions concise and focused on your own contributions.

Maintaining Confidentiality: If you’re unable to disclose specific details due to privacy reasons, use placeholders (e.g., “the client” or “the project”) rather than explicit names. The focus should remain on the skills and competencies you applied rather than on proprietary information.

Minimize Dependence on AI Tools: While you may use AI tools to check grammar and clarity, avoid relying on them for substantive editing or phrasing. PEO recommends that applicants use their own communication skills to ensure authentic representation, as communication ability is also assessed. PEO’s August 2026 applicant guide also says examples must not describe hypothetical situations or work done by colleagues or your team. AI can help you organize your notes and check your own draft for gaps, but your examples must be your own work and you remain responsible for them. EGBC, EGM, Engineers Nova Scotia and Engineers PEI prohibit using AI (or third parties) to create or embellish examples; APEGS and PEO hold you fully responsible for the accuracy and authenticity of anything AI helped with.

Keep Validators Informed: Communicate regularly with your validators and ensure they understand the Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) process, especially regarding the skills and knowledge each competency requires. This will help them provide timely, accurate feedback and validate competencies effectively. If you need to correct any validator information (e.g., an email address), update it promptly through the application portal to avoid delays.

Follow the Current Guide and Portal Instructions: PEO’s CBA Applicant Guide (August 2026) and the portal both give step-by-step instructions. Ensure you adhere to these instructions, as they can help you avoid errors and streamline your experience with the CBA submission process.

How CBA Pro Helps with the CBA Process

Navigating the Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) process can be challenging. CBA Pro interviews you about your own work, asking what PEO looks for in each competency, and turns your CV and your answers into a formatted draft for you to review and improve. It shows you where information is still missing, pins comments to the passages that need more detail and gives each competency a readiness grade. Every fact comes from you, and you remain responsible for the accuracy and authenticity of what you submit, as PEO’s guide requires.

Ready to get started? Visit our CBA Pro Page to begin your CBA journey with the right support and resources.

Conclusion

The Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) is a crucial step in the process of obtaining your Professional Engineer (PEng) license in Canada. By accurately assessing your engineering competencies, the CBA ensures that you meet the high standards required for public safety and effective professional practice. With careful preparation, proper organization of your work experience, and the support of tools like CBA Pro, you can confidently navigate the Competency Based Assessment process and present a strong application. Remember to avoid common mistakes, be thorough in your self-assessment, and choose your validators wisely to ensure success. Start your journey today and take the next step toward becoming a licensed professional engineer in Canada.