34 Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) Course
Submit your best competencies to your association to become licensed sooner and propel your career.
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3 Common CBA Struggles
- Getting Started
- Writing that first competency can be the hardest part.
- How close should I get to the maximum character/word limit?
- Which project examples should I include?
- Finding the time
- Making time to brainstorm project examples and remember work details can be exhausting. You might also be wondering - What does an approved CBA submission look like?
- How do I show my application of engineering theory?
- How can I explain my engineering methodology?
- Finishing it
- Is it ready for my association?
- Are there issues with my competencies?
- Is my writing clear and concise, or blurry and scattered?
Why take our 34 CBA course?
Picking your best work examples means understanding the 34 competencies, their indicators, and seeing approved CBA submissions. That's what this course does for you! As you write each competency, you'll review a quick lesson and review 11 samples that have met the minimum score. Finally, if you want, get a review from our CommentatorAITM or a P.Eng. in a similar field. Get quick email support from our team whenever you have questions. Your CBA submission success is guaranteed.
The 34 CBA Course has been designed for those applying with PEO, EGBC (engineers only), APEGNB, APEGS, EGM, Engineers PEI, and PEGNL.
We've customized the material to address the specific requirements of the associations using the 34-competency format.
The reviews are in...
(click on a review to enlarge it)
Here's What You'll Receive
Who is this course for?
Canadian and foreign-educated aspiring engineers applying for a professional licence (P.Eng.) using the 34 competency format (1.1. to 7.3).
AI (or Consultant) Draft Review Service
(An optional but helpful step)
Each competency must meet a minimum score (typically 3/5 on the rating scale). A draft review service is a helpful way to strengthen your examples, identify and address any potential issues before your association sees them, enable you to score higher, and prevent CBA rejection.
Our review services can be ordered from inside the course, (step 8.1), once you've completed some of your competency examples. We have two options:
Option 1 - CommentatorAITM
($99 + tax. One-time purchase for one month of unlimited access. No recurring monthly charges.)
- Get instant feedback. Simply paste a competency example and get helpful comments to improve the draft.
- Tailored expertise. The AI tool has been trained by our team and 300+ reviews to ensure you receive precise, context-specific feedback based on the Situation - Action - Outcome framework.
- Comprehensive competency coverage. Review all 34 of your competency examples—no limitations here! Unlike our consultant review, the CommentatorAITM allows multiple evaluations, ensuring that every example is your best.
- Continuous improvement. After you've implemented comments from the AI tool, show it your changes to get feedback on the updates. This iterative process is unique to CommentatorAITM.
- Versatile across all engineering disciplines. CommentatorAITM is designed to provide the tailored feedback you need to excel regardless of your engineering discipline or stream.
Review this file to see the difference between our CommentatorAITM and a consultant review.
Option 2 - P.Eng. Consultant Review
($299 for 10 competencies reviewed or $449 for 15 competencies)
- Feedback in 6-7 business days. Our consultants are past clients who have been through the licensing process and work full-time as engineers. This thorough expertise means turnaround times are slightly longer, but the depth of insight you receive is unparalleled.
- Tailored review options. Choose to have either 10 or 15 of your competency examples meticulously reviewed, depending on your specific needs and order.
- One-time comprehensive review. Please note that this service includes a one-time review of your selected examples. While feedback on changes or updates is not included in the initial price, we ensure your first review is as thorough and beneficial as possible.
- Specialized engineering disciplines. Our consultants specialize in specific engineering disciplines. For a detailed list of the covered fields, please refer to the Q & A section directly below.
Review Questions? Answered
After going through the course and finishing your draft, you'll come to step 8.1 in the course. There, you can select our CommentatorAI or a consultant with the closest engineering background. The CommentatorAI can review all engineering disciplines. Our consultants are limited to reviewing:
- civil (structural, geotech, rail/transit)
- mechanical (HVAC, fire protection, manufacturing)
- electrical (power)
- biomedical; and
- chemical (process, mining, metallurgy and petroleum, extractive metallurgy).
Once a consultant is selected, you can pick a 2- or 3-hour review.
They will catch errors, issues, and unclear statements. It's better if we proactively point out these issues and let you correct them before submitting.
The CommentatorAI can review your 34 competencies, one-by-one, instantly. For a 2-hour consultant review, your reviewer will add comments on the ten technical competencies—1.1 to 1.10. For a 3-hour consultant review, they will add comments to the first 15 competencies—1.1 to 3.2.
We have three review options:
- CommentatorAI: $99 + tax for 1 month of access and provides instant feedback. Review all 34 competencies as often as you like within the month of access.
- 2-hour review: Covers any 10 competencies (e.g. 1.1 to 1.10), takes 6 business days to complete, and costs C$299 + tax.
- 3-hour review: Covers any 15 competencies (e.g. 1.1 to 3.2), takes 7 business days to complete, and costs C$449 + tax.
Our P.Eng. Review Team
(partial list only)
civil
(geotech)
civil
(structural)
civil
(rail/transit)
mechanical
(manufacturing)
mechanical
(HVAC)
electrical
(power)
chemical
(oil / gas)
chemical
(mineral processing, hydrometallurgy)
Your Roadmap to CBA Success
Take the course
Work from top to bottom in the 8-module course. Learn about each competency and indicator from 1.1 through 7.3. Review submission best practices and common mistakes. Compare your draft with fully accepted CBA submissions from past clients. Feel confident as you start, fix or finish your 34 competencies.
Order a draft review (optional)
Select our CommentatorAITM to review all 34 competencies. Or wait a week for a P.Eng. consultant review of 10 or 15 competencies.
Integrate feedback & Submit
Review the comments and implement the ones you agree with to help make your draft sound clearer, more professional and concise.
Send it off to your association knowing that your CBA is the best it can be.
Here's What You'll Learn
The 34 CBA Course will teach you about all 34 competencies and their indicators (steps 1 to 7). This will help you build a foundation and pick strong examples from your work history.
In the preface, you'll see 11 fully accepted CBA submissions from our past clients. This will give you a benchmark about the quality level expected by your association. The preface also contains common mistakes and best practices—which are very important to note.
Step 8 is where you can order a draft review service. Getting feedback from our CommentatorAITM or a P.Eng. consultant will move your CBA draft to a higher quality level.
Below is additional information about the course lessons and how they will improve your CBA.
In Step 0, we'll:
- Show you around the course.
- Make sure you have started your application and reviewed the online CBA template from your association.
- Download our course checklist and brainstorming sheet.
In the preface, you’ll:
- Review 11 fully accepted CBAs from our past clients. The submissions are 3 civil (transportation, geotech, structural); 3 mechanical (manufacturing, fire protection, HVAC); 1 electrical (power); 1 petroleum (only 22 competencies); 1 environmental; 1 software; and 1 chemical. Don't worry if you don't see your engineering discipline/stream represented here. You'll still get massive benefits from reviewing these CBAs and seeing their examples, depth of problems and steps they took to meet the competency minimum scores.
- Use our CBA Scenario Generator (AI tool). This will allow you to generate 75-word competency scenarios for your specific engineering discipline and stream.
- Read about common mistakes from past clients. Avoid traps that others have fallen into during their submissions. We'll summarize a few of the most common errors we see.
- Follow the best practices outlined by your association. We'll touch on topics like selecting the best validator, sticking to technical examples, and following English rules to ensure your CBA is strong.
In Step 1, you’ll learn:
- All about technical competencies (1.1 to 1.10). Technical competencies are important and must showcase complex engineering problems you have resolved.
- For some examples, the steps you took should involve engineering knowledge gained in the 3rd and 4th year of university.
- We'll show examples of others that used engineering theories/principles to resolve a problem. Going deep into the details (e.g. assumptions you made, alternatives you considered) is encouraged as it can help you score higher on the 0-5 rating system.
- With insights and examples, we'll help you find great examples from regulations/codes/standards (1.1) to engineering documentation (1.10).
In Step 2, discover:
- All about the three communication competencies (2.1 to 2.3). Your association wants to know if you can communicate your engineering thoughts, work products and technical feedback to others.
- We'll help you understand some finer points, like explaining how you tailor your communication differently to team members (e.g. technical vs. non-technical).
- These competencies are more than just listing that you know how to use email, a phone, and MS Office. We'll cover the specifics of communication techniques and provide examples.
- Make sure to write your CBA clearly, without any spelling or grammatical errors. It will be reviewed and will affect your competency 2.2 score.
In Step 3, we'll dive into:
- The five project and financial management competencies (3.1 to 3.5). All projects have a target budget and completion date. We'll help you explain how you helped achieve both of those.
- Avoid using cliche statements like "My project was completed on time and on budget." Instead, we'll help you remember specific things you did that can showcase project management or financial techniques you used.
In Step 4, we'll teach you:
- The two team effectiveness competencies (4.1 to 4.2). Projects involve people, but successful projects involve people working well together. Your association wants to hear about how you work with others (professionals, non-professionals) and if you have the tools to resolve issues.
- Here, we'll give you examples of what conflicts look like, and we'll help you remember the strategies you used to resolve the problem.
- If you struggle to find a conflict resolution example, your association will let you take a quick conflict resolution course to meet this competency. We provide course recommendations in this step.
In Step 5, you'll master:
- The six professional accountability competencies (5.1 to 5.6). In this section, your association seeks proof that they can trust you once you become a member. Are you aware of the code of ethics? Do you know when and how to apply a seal? Are you able to recognize and avoid a conflict of interest? You'll need to address each one with a strong example.
- In this section especially, we'll show you how to support your examples with association publications (e.g. referencing specific code of ethics tenets you met; citing sections of your association's authentication/seal guide to help explain the process you followed).
In Step 6, we’ll help you understand:
- The five social, economic, environmental and sustainability competencies (6.1 to 6.5). In this section, your association wonders if you are aware of the public impact of your work.
- We'll help you find examples from your work history that demonstrate how you considered the impact of climate change and sustainability.
- You'll also see examples of when the engineer's role overlaps with other professionals and how to accommodate others.
In Step 7, you’ll uncover:
- The three personal continuing professional development (CPD) competencies (7.1 to 7.3). Your association wants to know if you can recognize your weaknesses and have the energy to address them with CPD.
- We'll help you remember the CPD you completed and show you how to find your knowledge gaps and fill them with a professional development plan for the coming two years.
And in Step 8, you're ready to:
- (Optional). Get your draft reviewed by CommentatorAITM (or pick a P.Eng. consultant and order a 10 or 15-competency review). This optional step is an additional cost, but it allows you to strengthen your draft before submission. Integrate the feedback into your draft.
- It is now time to send your final CBA off to your association. Celebrate this milestone with your friends and family while waiting for your association to review your well-written competencies.
When you enroll in the 34 CBA Course, we'll add
Six Bonuses
Bonus #1: Need A Consultant Review? 20% Off For You! ($89 value)
A fresh set of eyes on your draft will let your CBA shine. You can select the closest P.Eng. consultant to review your draft. The consultant spends 3 hours (12 minutes per competency) reviewing your first 15 competencies (1.1 to 3.2).
We want to help keep these costs under control by reducing the price from $449 + tax down to $360 + tax. This bonus will be automatically applied in step 8.1 of the course.
Bonus #2: No Tension, FREE Course Extension ($45 value)
Sometimes, life or work demands more time, and finishing your CBA isn't a priority. Use this bonus to access the course for an additional:
- 2 weeks (if you order the 2-month package)
- 4 weeks (if you order the 4-month package)
Bonus #3: Rejected CBA? $100 Is On Its Way ($100 value)
We value your time and money. So, if your CBA isn't initially accepted, we'll put two P.Eng. consultants in charge of helping you with any low-scoring competencies. If the submission of those competencies still isn't accepted, you'll get the full refund for your course, plus an additional $100 e-transferred to your bank account.
Bonus #4: Lobbying Leadership Letter ($30 value)
Use our email template to potentially convince your boss to reimburse you for the course by highlighting the corporate benefits of getting licenced.
Bonus #5: Validator Matrix Quick Fix ($55 value)
Learn how to find work experience validators, even if you don't think you have any. Then, use our email template to contact them to ensure they are willing to help you.
Bonus #6: CPD Companion ($66 value)
You'll be licensed soon, so we're already planning ahead! Once licensed, you must complete about 30 continuing professional development (CPD) hours/year. Our CPD Companion, which costs $33/year, has done all the research for you. You can quickly find 200+ free courses and 500+ hand-picked courses available for purchase. You'll get 2* years of access.
*Note: We can only provide this offer once per client. So, if you've already claimed 2 years of access by ordering another course from us, we won't be able to add another 2 years on top. Thanks for understanding!
A Great Value for CBA Applicants
If you wanted to learn everything inside our 34 CBA Course, as a private, 1-on-1 student, the price tag would easily surpass $1,000. But we want to make submitting your CBA more affordable. This is why we put this material into an easy-to-use on-demand course. When you join our 34 CBA Course, we'll be your virtual mentors—with you until you get your CBA submitted and accepted.
What’s included:
- 34 lessons on all competencies and their indicators ($130 value)
- 11 fully accepted CBA submissions ($140 value)Would seeing 11 accepted CBAs help you draft yours? You bet! Review these full CBAs: 3 civil (transportation, geotechnical, structural); 3 mechanical (manufacturing, fire protection, HVAC); 1 electrical (power); 1 petroleum; 1 environmental; 1 software; and 1 chemical.
- Unlimited and fast email support ($60 value)
- Lessons on submission best practices & common mistakes ($50 value)
- CBA accepted or a full refund
- Bonus #1: Need A Consultant Review, 20% Off For You! ($89 value)If you missed it, all of these bonuses are discussed in more detail here.
- Bonus #2: No Tension, FREE Course Extension ($45 value)
- Bonus #3: Rejected CBA? $100 is on its way ($100 value)
- Bonus #4: Lobbying Leadership Letter ($30 value)
- Bonus #5: Validator Matrix Quick Fix ($55 value)
- Bonus #6: CPD Companion ($66 value)
- The course won't write your examples for you. A daily commitment is recommended to learn from the lessons, use the samples, and leverage AI tools to complete your 34 competencies.
Total value: $765 (but you only pay the price mentioned on the buttons)
To join the course, select one of the following options:
You can order a review after starting the course
(it's in step 8.1)
Course Development and Support Team
Gavin Simone, P.Eng. (AB), LEED AP
Founder and your Virtual Mentor
About a decade ago, Gavin volunteered with Engineers Canada to help them with an experience reporting pilot program. This program eventually became the Competency-based Assessment (CBA) licensing step. Around that time, Gavin founded Practice PPE Exams, dedicated to helping aspiring engineers quickly navigate licensing hurdles.
He has worked with thousands of aspiring engineers to navigate the CBA across Canada. The team has carefully constructed the course lessons and information to help applicants submit their best 34 work examples to their association.
Gavin has assembled a team of accomplished P.Eng. consultants ready to support you with a draft review service. They are all past clients who have been through the licensing process themselves and know the types of challenges that a new applicant might experience.
Joydeep Banerjee, P.Eng. (ONT), PhD
Content Developer
Joydeep is a mechanical engineer that is an expert on model-based technologies. With a PhD from the University of Waterloo, he brings years of teaching experience and industry experience in model-based engineering and digital thread applications. Joydeep successfully submitted his experience a few years ago and is very familiar with the CBA process and requirements.
Rose May Igdon-Vallinas, Engr.(PH)
Licensing Coordinator
Rose is a Chemical Engineer with a Master's Degree in Chemical Engineering focusing on Biomass and Biofuels Engineering. She has worked on biofuel production from agro-industrial residues, which received first place at the Young Scientist Competition during the Asian Congress on Biotechnology in 2019. She started as a product engineer in 2014, and in 2015, she ventured into teaching Chemical Engineering courses at Xavier University. She also gained valuable experience in environmental compliance and engineering as a permitting staff. Rose will be the bridge between our clients and our P.Eng. review team. She will also help clients navigate the finer details of a CBA submission.
Afonso Pacheco
Webmaster
Being the webmaster for Practice PPE Exams for 8 years, Afonso brings a wealth of experience delivering e-learning content. He has been instrumental in making the course lessons load quickly and implementing modern navigation.
Questions? Answered!
Unfortunately, it’s impossible for us (or anyone else) to take your resume and turn it into a CBA.
A resume is a 1 or 2-page document that summarizes your duties and accomplishments at a very high-level.
A Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) goes deep into the details of specific situations at work. For instance, competency 1.1 Regulation, Codes, and Standards ask you to demonstrate your knowledge of regulations, codes, standards, and safety. This is not something that you would have in your resume and is one example of why you have to draft the CBA on your own with the help of our course.
Luckily, our step-by-step CBA course will help you write your examples on your own before they are sent for review. Reviewing the CBA submissions in the course will help you to get lots of ideas about the length and detail you should aim for.
Unfortunately, we require everyone to take the course to qualify for our review service. The course helps to ensure your draft meets a certain level of quality. It also allows our consultants to focus the feedback more on your engineering content and less on submission compliance.
Great question. Our CommentatorAITM can review any engineering discipline.
A review from one of our consultants is limited to the following areas:
- civil (structural, infrastructure, geotechnical)
- mechanical (HVAC, fire protection)
- electrical (power).
- biomedical
- chemical (process, mining, metallurgy and petroleum, extractive metallurgy)
Unfortunately, no.
We can't guarantee that after you use our course/review you won't have to fulfil other requirements from your association. There are a lot of factors out of our control (e.g. the experience you have gained, if you were educated in Canada or abroad, if you implement our recommendations or not).
Our goal is to give you the best tools, examples, support and recommendations to make your CBA submission the strongest it can be and ensure it is clear and concise. By doing this, you'll reduce your chances of having to fulfill other requirements.
The start and end dates for each competency refers to the time period for just that project. It should be a minimum of 1 month in duration.
Yes.
Validation is critical to your CBA submission. Pick your validators wisely. It should be someone who knows your experience well and has a reputation for doing things on time. However, if your validators are not validating your experience for any reason (e.g. retired, sick), you can contact your association to have them switched.
Sure! If your association does not initially accept your CBA, we'll put our entire team of P.Eng. consultants on the mission of helping you to resubmit it (at no additional cost). We will review your submission and suggest specific ways you can rewrite each rejected competency to make it stronger and more in line with the expectations. This might mean making your existing competencies stronger or helping you to brainstorm better examples from your work history.
If your association still doesn't accept your resubmitted competencies, we'll issue you a full refund plus an additional $100.
Our guarantee page allows you to claim your refund and an additional $100.
We've made the choice easy.
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