Get your CBA approved faster with clearer, stronger examples
CBA Blueprint course: a structured, step‑by‑step way to plan, write, and submit your Competency‑Based Assessment (CBA), with real accepted examples and AI‑powered feedback.
- 34 structured lessons (1.1–7.3)
- 11 accepted CBA submissions
- AI + P.Eng. feedback with pass‑related guarantee options.
Perfect for CBA provinces using the 1.1–7.3 framework: ON, BC, NB, SK, NL, PEI, NS
Also supported with adaptation notes for Alberta. Not designed for Quebec.
This CBA course is designed for:
Engineers using the 1.1–7.3 CBA framework
Engineers in Canada who must report their experience using the 1.1–7.3 Competency‑Based Assessment structure.
EITs submitting CBAs to these regulators
PEO (Professional Engineers Ontario), EGBC (Engineers and Geoscientists BC), APEGS, EGM, Engineers NS, APEGNB and PEGNL.
APEGA applicants can use our adapter guide to map to their 1.1–6.5 system.
Engineers who want help with their CBA examples
Engineers who have started or are about to start their CBA and want a clear plan, examples and reviews to write stronger competency stories.
Not designed for Quebec. Not affiliated with or endorsed by these regulators.
Why most engineers struggle with CBA — and how we fix it
We built this program around the exact NPPE blueprint - so you’ll know not just what to study, but why it matters.
Common struggles:
Writing about day-to-day duties won't meet the minimum scores.
Our Solution:
We show you how to structure your experience clearly, logically, and focus on unique problems.
Common struggles:
Most applicants don’t know what “approved” looks like.
Our Solution:
You’ll see 11 accepted CBAs with commentary and best practices.
Common struggles:
Hard to find someone qualified to review your examples.
Our Solution:
Use our Commentator AI (for instant feedback) or our vetted P.Eng. consultants.
Our Solution:
Common struggles:
Writing about day-to-day duties won't meet the minimum scores.
We show you how to structure your experience clearly, logically, and focus on unique problems.
Most applicants don’t know what “approved” looks like.
You’ll see 11 accepted CBAs with commentary and best practices.
Hard to find someone qualified to review your examples.
Use our Commentator AI (for instant feedback) or our vetted P.Eng. consultants.
See how the CBA Blueprint works (2‑minute walkthrough)
- See exactly how the 34‑competency framework is organized
- Watch how we use real accepted CBAs as models for your drafts
- Preview Commentator AI scoring and feedback before you submit
What you’ll learn
We built this program around the CBA reporting system, so you can work through about 3 competencies per week and submit a complete, regulator‑ready draft with confidence.
CBA Framework (1.1–7.3)
Cover all 34 competencies and meet the 0 to 5 score requirements.
11 Approved Examples
Model your report after real submissions that successfully passed review.
AI & Expert Feedback
Get instant AI scoring on your drafts or optional reviews from licensed P.Eng. consultants.
CBA Framework (1.1–7.3)
Cover all 34 competencies and meet the 0 to 5 score requirements.
11 Approved Examples
Model your report after real submissions that successfully passed review.
AI & Expert Feedback
Get instant AI scoring on your drafts or optional reviews from licensed P.Eng. consultants.
See full curriculum
Step 0 – Start here
- Welcome and course tour
- Make sure you’ve opened your regulator’s online template
- Download the course checklist and brainstorming sheet
Preface – Learn from 11 accepted CBAs
- Review 11 fully accepted CBA submissions across civil, mechanical, electrical, petroleum, environmental, software, and chemical
- See the depth, structure, and level of detail assessors expect
- Learn common mistakes and best practices from past applicants
Step 1 – Technical competence (1.1–1.10)
- Understand what strong technical examples look like for competencies 1.1 to 1.10
- See how others explained regulations, codes, standards, design decisions, and documentation
- Get guidance on going deep enough into engineering theory and trade-offs
Step 2 – Communication (2.1–2.3)
- Cover all three communication competencies (oral, written, and reading/comprehension)
- Learn how to show clear, audience-appropriate technical communication
- Avoid weak “I send emails” style answers with concrete examples
Step 3 – Project & financial management (3.1–3.5)
- Work through the five project and financial management competencies
- Explain how you helped control scope, schedule, budget, and risk
- Replace vague “on time and on budget” with specific actions you took
Step 4 – Team effectiveness (4.1–4.2)
- Show how you work with other professionals and non-professionals
- Describe real conflict / issue situations and how you resolved them
- Get recommendations if you’re short on a strong conflict example
Step 5 – Professional accountability (5.1–5.6)
- Demonstrate ethics, integrity, and responsibility as a future P.Eng.
- Use examples tied to codes of ethics, sealing/authentication, and conflicts of interest
- Learn how to reference association publications to strengthen your answers
Step 6 – Social, economic, environmental & sustainability (6.1–6.5)
- Connect your work to public impact, climate, and sustainability
- Show how you considered environmental, social, and economic factors in real projects
- See examples where engineers coordinated with other professions
Step 7 – Personal continuing professional development (7.1–7.3)
- Capture the CPD you’ve already done and what you learned
- Identify your knowledge gaps and build a 2-year development plan
- Show your association that you can manage your own growth
Step 8 – Review and submit
- Use Commentator AI (Pro/Pathway) to score and refine your draft examples
- Decide when to add an optional P.Eng. consultant review
- Finalize your CBA and send it to your association
Prefer one plan for CBA, NPPE, and CPD? Our Full Licensing Pathway bundles all three.
Included in Pro and Full Licensing Pathway plans.
Commentator AI: get instant CBA draft feedback, 24/7
- Paste your competency draft and get a 1–5 score with specific suggestions in about 90 seconds.
- Stop guessing what assessors want; see where your example is weak before you submit.
- Use Commentator AI up to 20 times per day during your access window, so you can refine multiple competencies in one sitting.
Commentator AI is an AI‑powered tool trained on CBA expectations. It does not replace your association’s official review or an optional P.Eng. consultant review.
Let’s Get Your CBA Accepted Faster
All CBA plans include the full CBA Blueprint course: 34 bite-sized lessons,
11 approved samples, and Scenario Generator AI for brainstorming.
Minimum
CBA only; no built-in feedback / support.
$197
CAD + tax
WHAT'S INCLUDED
4 weeks of access from today to the CBA Blueprint course
Short access window — plan to consistently complete about 9 competencies per week.
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
Commentator AI
(Only in Full Licensing Pathway and Pro)
Email support
(Only in Full Licensing Pathway and Pro)
Option to buy P.Eng. review
(Only in Full Licensing Pathway and Pro)
NPPE or CPD support
(Only in Full Licensing Pathway)
AI feedback + email support
Pro
CBA only, with more tools and support.
$377
CAD + tax
WHAT'S INCLUDED
12 weeks of access from today to the CBA Blueprint course
Everything in Minimum + Commentator AI, email support, and a pass-related guarantee
Option to buy a 15-competency review from a P.Eng. for $399 (if desired). (See disciplines covered)
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
NPPE or CPD support
(Included in Full Licensing Pathway)
Longer-term licensing journey support beyond CBA
(Included in Full Licensing Pathway)
Valid for up to 3 years
Full Licensing Pathway
CBA + NPPE + CPD support and courses in one plan.
$599
CAD + tax
Already bought the NPPE or CBA course in the last 12 months? You only pay the difference to reach $599 total.
You have 3 years to activate and use your NPPE, CBA and CPD access.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
14 weeks of CBA Blueprint access
(activate now or later: includes everything in Pro)
25 weeks of NPPE Fast Track access
(activate later: lessons, 500 questions, Tutor AI)
12 months of CPD Companion access
(activate later to help you stay CPD‑compliant)
Check list of AI tools & support
NPPE Tutor AI™
NPPE Advancing Quiz AI™
Competency Commentator AI™
Competency Shortener AI
Email support from licensed P.Eng. instructors
See Pass‑related guarantees
Free extensions on technical exam solutions if needed
Not sure which CBA option to choose?
- Just need a basic structure and are comfortable drafting alone? Choose Minimum.
- Want AI feedback, email support and a pass‑related guarantee too? Choose Pro.
- Want your NPPE, CBA, and CPD covered in one plan (with time to use each)? Choose the Full Licensing Pathway.
- Life getting in the way of finishing your CBA? Add 100 days for $99 — access dates aren’t manually adjusted except for medical issues (see full policy).
Not ready yet?
Start the free CBA Blueprint mini course.
Don’t just take our word for it — see how other EITs finished their CBA
Vishal Sharma
sagar jani
Mathew George
Dilwinder Singh
Sal Forgione
Rey Rebucas
Meet the Team Behind the CBA Course
Our CBA team combines real-world experience in law, ethics, and engineering practice. We constantly update the course to reflect the latest blueprint, standards, codes and regulations.
Gavin Simone, P.Eng. (AB), LEED AP
Gavin has helped aspiring engineers with licensing since 2012, designing courses, tools, and resources that make each step clearer and faster.
In 2012, he volunteered with Engineers Canada to help develop and test the Competency‑Based Assessment (CBA) reporting system. He now focuses on keeping the CBA Blueprint course aligned with current frameworks and assessor expectations, so your examples are structured, clear, and ready for review.
Rose May Igdon-Vallinas,
Engr.(PH)
Saju J. Sam
Joydeep Banerjee
9 more CBA consultants
We also have 9 additional P.Eng. consultants with over 90 years of combined experience across civil, mechanical, manufacturing, electrical, and chemical. They support CBA reviews so your stories match what assessors expect in your discipline.
Rose May Igdon-Vallinas,
Engr. (PH)
Saju J. Sam
P.Eng. (MB), PMP, IntPE (Canada)
Joydeep Banerjee
P.Eng. (ON), PhD
9 more CBA Consultants
Step-by-Step Path to Passing the CBA
You’ll start by understanding the CBA structure, then draft real examples, and finally refine them using feedback so you can submit with confidence.
Start the Course
Review Real Examples
Refine with Feedback
Submit with Confidence
Start the Course
Review Real Examples
Refine with Feedback
Submit with Confidence
Ready to Submit a Strong, Confident CBA?
You’ve already done the engineering — now show it clearly. Join thousands of engineers who got their CBA approved with our help.
Questions? Answered!
Can you prepare my CBA if I give you my resume?
Unfortunately, no – and anyone who says they can is overselling.
A resume is a 1–2 page summary of your duties and high‑level accomplishments. A Competency‑Based Assessment goes deep into specific situations where you applied judgment, solved problems, and met indicators (for example, competency 1.1 on regulations, codes, and standards). That level of detail is not in a resume.
Our role is to provide you with a step‑by‑step structure, examples, and tools so you can draft your own competency stories, then refine them before you submit. Your aim is to consistently score around 3 or higher (“meets requirements”) on the 0–5 scale your regulator uses (see EGBC’s 0–5 Competency Rating Scale (EGBC) as one example).
Can I order the P.Eng. review service without the course?
If you’ve already written your CBA or have specific competencies rejected, we have two review options:
Option A – Commentator AI™ only
Option B – P.Eng. expert review + Commentator AI™
Please email [email protected] for current availability, disciplines covered, and pricing.
Do you offer the draft review service for all engineering disciplines and streams?
- The add‑on is a 15‑competency review by a licensed P.Eng. consultant.
- The price is $399 CAD + tax, on top of your course fee.
- It is currently available in these areas:
- Civil (3 consultants: structural, infrastructure, geotechnical)
- Mechanical (3 consultants: HVAC / fire protection; manufacturing; aerospace)
- Electrical (power)
- Chemical (process design, HSE, and industrial plant operations)
- You can order it inside the CBA course, in Step 8.1.1, once you are close to a full draft.
- Start with Pro or the Full Licensing Pathway.
- Use Commentator AI™ to score and refine all of your competencies first.
- If you are in one of the disciplines above and still want more support, you can then add the 15‑competency P.Eng. review for $399 + tax.
If I use your course and review service, am I guaranteed to have my experience accepted without fulfilling additional steps from my association?
No. We can’t guarantee that using our course or review service will remove all other requirements from your association.
Regulators consider many factors we can’t control (the actual experience you have, where you were educated, how your validators respond, and how closely you implement our recommendations).
Our goal is to give you the best possible structure, examples, feedback, and tools so your CBA submission is as clear and strong as it can be. That reduces the chances of extra steps, but it can’t eliminate them completely.
For each competency, is the start date and end date the same as my employment dates?
Each competency example should typically cover at least one month of work on that situation.
Will my CBA get delayed if my validators don't confirm my competencies?
Can you explain more about your "CBA accepted" guarantee?
We offer pass‑related guarantees on our higher‑support tiers only:
- Minimum ($197 CAD + tax)
- CBA course access only (4 weeks).
- No pass‑related guarantee, refunds, or email support.
- This is the basic option for self‑directed engineers.
- Pro ($377 CAD + tax) & Full Licensing Pathway
- CBA course with 12 to 14 weeks of access.
- Includes Commentator AI™, email support, and a written pass‑related guarantee (see the full conditions on our Guarantee page).
- In short, if you complete the required steps and your competencies are still not accepted, we will either continue your access and support until you get your CBA fully accepted, or refund your CBA course fee, depending on the option you choose.
We cannot guarantee that your CBA will be accepted or that you will be licensed – regulators make those decisions. Our guarantees are about standing behind our course and support when you complete the required steps.
Is it really worth paying for CBA support instead of just writing it on my own?
A Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) is one of the final major steps before licensure, so mistakes at this stage can be costly in both time and money.
Industry salary studies consistently show that licensed engineers typically earn more than unlicensed engineers:
- A National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) salary survey found licensed professional engineers earn, on average, several thousand dollars more per year than unlicensed engineers, including about $5,000 more annually in one report.
- The Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) salary report (page 6) found that licensed engineers earn roughly 7–14% more than unlicensed engineers on average.
Over a 30-year career, even a $5,000 per year difference can add up to approximately $150,000 in additional income.
Having a CBA rejected can:
- Delay your licensure by months while you wait for feedback and resubmission windows
- In some cases, lead to application closure, forcing you to restart parts of the process
Our CBA Blueprint course is built to help you submit a clearer, stronger, regulator-aligned CBA the first time, so you can improve your chances of acceptance and avoid losing months or more to preventable rewrites.
Will this CBA course work for my association (PEO, EGBC, etc.)?
Yes. If you’re submitting a CBA for Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO), Engineers Geoscientist BC (EGBC), APEGS, Engineers Geoscientist Manitoba (EGM), Engineers Nova Scotia, APEGNB, PEGNL, Engineers PEI or other CBA‑based regulators, this course is designed to help you prepare your examples.
This course is not suitable for Quebec.
My association (APEGA) uses 1.1 to 6.5 competencies instead of 1.1 to 7.3. Will this course still work for me?
Yes – with adaptation notes.
APEGA uses a 22‑competency framework (1.1 to 6.5) that is very close to the 34‑competency 1.1 to 7.3 system used across Engineers Canada. The main differences are:
- 12 competencies were removed as they were seen as being less critical; the remaining 22 largely match the national framework.
- APEGA allows more room in the Situation–Action–Outcome sections.
- Some competencies are renumbered (for example, 5.4 nationally is 5.1 for APEGA).
Inside the course, we focus on helping you:
- Show your personal role clearly (not just what the team did).
- Write clear, concise competency stories that match what regulators look for.
- Use examples and AI feedback to strengthen weak areas before you submit.
If your association uses a 22‑competency framework (such as APEGA, NAPEG, or Engineers Yukon), we recommend you:
- Enroll in this course, and
- Use the Step 0.3 adaptation PDF inside the course for easy‑to‑follow mapping notes.
Your overall goal remains the same: consistently reach about 3 or higher (“meets requirements”) on the 0–5 scale your regulator uses – see this summary from EGBC as a reference: 0–5 Competency Rating Scale (EGBC).
Can I use AI tools (like ChatGPT) to draft my CBA responses?
Our recommendation is:
– You may use AI tools to organize your thoughts, check spelling/grammar, or improve clarity of text that you already wrote from your real experience.
– You should not use AI to invent stories, exaggerate your role, or paste in generic examples that aren’t truly yours – that risks misrepresenting your experience and breaching your Code of Ethics.
Inside the course, Commentator AI™ is designed to help you refine and score drafts you’ve already written, not to manufacture experience. Always check your own regulator’s guidance and make sure your final submission is honest, detailed, and clearly based on your actual work.
Can you prepare my CBA if I give you my resume?
Unfortunately, no – and anyone who says they can is overselling.
A resume is a 1–2 page summary of your duties and high‑level accomplishments. A Competency‑Based Assessment goes deep into specific situations where you applied judgment, solved problems, and met indicators (for example, competency 1.1 on regulations, codes, and standards). That level of detail is not in a resume.
Our role is to provide you with a step‑by‑step structure, examples, and tools so you can draft your own competency stories, then refine them before you submit. Your aim is to consistently score around 3 or higher (“meets requirements”) on the 0–5 scale your regulator uses (see EGBC’s 0–5 Competency Rating Scale (EGBC) as one example).
Can I get a review without buying the full course?
If you’ve already written your CBA or have submitted it and have rejected competencies, we have two review options:
- Option A – Commentator AI Only
- Option B – P.Eng. Expert Review + Commentator AI
Please email [email protected]
for details.
Do you offer the draft review service for all engineering disciplines and streams?
Our Commentator AI™ tool can review competencies from any engineering discipline and give you structure, clarity, and 0–5 scoring feedback. This is included with the Pro and Full Licensing Pathway options.
Human P.Eng. draft reviews are more specialised and are offered as an optional add‑on for Pro and Pathway students only:
- The add‑on is a 15‑competency review by a licensed P.Eng. consultant.
- The price is $399 CAD + tax, on top of your course fee.
- It is currently available in these areas:
- Civil (3 consultants: structural, infrastructure, geotechnical)
- Mechanical (3 consultants: HVAC / fire protection; manufacturing; aerospace)
- Electrical (power)
- Chemical (process design, HSE, and industrial plant operations)
- You can order it inside the CBA course, in Step 8.1.1, once you are close to a full draft.
If you are looking for feedback on your draft, we generally recommend:
- Start with Pro or the Full Licensing Pathway.
- Use Commentator AI™ to score and refine all of your competencies first.
- If you are in one of the disciplines above and still want more support, you can then add the 15‑competency P.Eng. review for $399 + tax.
If your discipline is outside these areas, the Pro/Pathway levels plus Commentator AI™ will still help you strengthen your examples, but a P.Eng. review may not be available for your exact stream.
Will my CBA get delayed if my validators don't confirm my competencies?
Yes. Validation is critical to your CBA submission.
Choose validators who:
– Know your work well, and
– Have a reputation for replying on time.
If a validator can’t or won’t confirm your experience (for example, they’ve retired or are ill), contact your association and ask if you can <b>change validators</b> so your file is not held up unnecessarily.
Can you explain more about your "CBA accepted" guarantee?
We offer pass‑related guarantees on our higher‑support tiers only:
- Minimum ($197 CAD + tax)
- CBA course access only (4 weeks).
- No pass‑related guarantee, refunds, or email support.
- This is the basic option for self‑directed engineers.
- Pro ($377 CAD + tax) & Full Licensing Pathway
- CBA course with 12 to 14 weeks of access.
- Includes Commentator AI™, email support, and a written pass‑related guarantee (see the full conditions on our Guarantee page).
- In short, if you complete the required steps and your competencies are still not accepted, we will either continue your access and support until you get your CBA fully accepted, or refund your CBA course fee, depending on the option you choose.
We cannot guarantee that your CBA will be accepted or that you will be licensed – regulators make those decisions. Our guarantees are about standing behind our course and support when you complete the required steps.