Alumni

The idea of a ceremony for the Obligation of Canadian Engineers dates back to 1922, when seven past-presidents of the Engineering Institute of Canada attended a meeting in Montreal with other engineers. Rudyard Kipling responded to a call from the seven engineers with The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer, to be administered by the Corporation of the Seven Wardens Inc. It was instituted with the simple end of directing newly qualified Canadian engineers toward a consciousness of their profession and its social significance, and indicating to more experienced engineers their responsibilities in welcoming and supporting the newer engineers when they are ready to enter the profession.

The Obligation Ceremony is not connected to any other engineering organization nor to any university, although many of them support the idea of the Obligation and may participate in the administration of the Ceremonies. 

Reference: The above was adapted for this site

Iron Ring - Contact List

The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer has a history dating back to 1922, when seven past-presidents of the Engineering Institute of Canada attended a meeting in Montreal with other engineers. One of the speakers was civil engineer Professor Haultain of the University of Toronto. He felt that an organization was needed to bind all members of the engineering profession in Canada more closely together. He also felt that an obligation or statement of ethics to which a young graduate in engineering could subscribe should be developed. The seven past-presidents of the Engineering Institute of Canada were very receptive to this idea.

Haultain wrote to Rudyard Kipling, who had made reference to the work of engineers in some of his poems and writings. He asked Kipling for his assistance in developing a suitably dignified obligation and ceremony for its undertaking. Kipling was very enthusiastic in his response and shortly produced both an obligation and a ceremony formally entitled “The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer.”

The object of the Ritual can be stated as follows: The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer has been instituted with the simple end of directing the newly qualified engineer toward a consciousness of the profession and its social significance and indicating to the more experienced engineer their responsibilities in welcoming and supporting the newer engineers when they are ready to enter the profession.

The Ritual is administered by a body called The Corporation of the Seven Wardens Inc./Société des Sept Gardiens inc. The seven past-presidents of the Engineering Institute of Canada in 1922 were the original seven Wardens. The Corporation is responsible for administering and maintaining the Ritual and in order to do so creates Camps in various locations in Canada. The Ritual is not connected with any university or any engineering organization; the Corporation is an entirely independent body. The Ritual has been copyrighted in Canada and in the United States.

The Iron Ring has been registered and may be worn on the little finger of the working hand by any engineer who has been obligated at an authorized ceremony of the Ritual of the Calling of the Engineer. The ring symbolizes the pride which engineers have in their profession, while simultaneously reminding them of their humility. The ring serves as a reminder to the engineer and others of the engineer’s obligation to live by a high standard of professional conduct. It is not a symbol of qualification as an engineer – this is determined by the provincial and territorial licensing bodies.

The deadline to complete the Application process below is Friday, January 25, 2019. 

APPLICATION PROCESS:

Print and complete the External Application Form  & complete the online payment by clicking here. Your application will not be reviewed until we receive your payment.

If you are from camp XIII and you have misplaced your ring follow the steps below to receive your replacement.

1. The cost to replace your Iron Ring is $30.00.

2. If you would like to pay by credit card please use our online tool ring replacement request and we will send you a replacement ring in the mail to the address provided. Please allow 7-10 business days for this process.

3. If you would like to pay by cash or cheque please come to the office (JHE A201D) anytime between 8:30 am to 4:30 pm to receive your replacement on the spot.

4. We accept payment in Canadian funds only - cash, Visa/Mastercard/Amex or cheque made payable to "Kipling". Please do not email credit card information.

Replacement refund Policy:

Rings may be exchanged for a different size, we are unable to offer refunds

Iron Ring Exchange:

To exchange your Iron Ring for a different size at no cost, please mail in your ring indicating the new size you would like sent to you OR come by the Engineering Alumni Office (JHE A201D) to exchange your ring on the spot.

If you have any questions or for more information regarding your Iron Ring replacement, please contact Carm Vespi.

The actual ringing of the candidate may be done by any obligated engineer of your choice who has taken the obligation a minimum of 10 years ago. The intent of this requirement is to have Engineers of some experience, welcoming and encouraging you as a new Engineer. Submit the Presenter form no later than Friday March 1, 2019.

Faculty members are always delighted to be asked to ring one of their students. However, please speak with them to ensure they will be attending the ceremony and be sure to fill out the Presenter form.

Seven Camp Wardens will be in attendance at the ceremony to present the rings to graduating engineers who do not have presenters. In this case, the Presenter form does not need to be filled out.

IMPORTANT: If there is a possibility that a special circumstance exists concerning the individual you intend to ask to ring you, you must explain the circumstance in a written notice and submit it along with the Presenter form to the Engineering Alumni Office no later than Friday March 1, 2019 to be approved by the Camp Wardens.

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As alumni of McMaster Engineering, we would like to give you the opportunity to mentor our students by hosting a casual chat with students about your experiences as an engineer at McMaster University and in the workforce! You can even pick your own topic of discussion.

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