The Calling Of An Engineer

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.

The Obligation itself is a solemn promise made by engineering graduates to uphold integrity, competence, and accountability in their work, ensuring that their actions contribute positively to the world around them. It serves as a constant reminder of their responsibilities to society, their colleagues, and the engineering profession.

The iron ring, worn on the little finger of the working hand, is a reminder of the Obligation. The original iron rings, made from iron that tarnished over time, were later replaced with stainless steel. However, the roughness of the rings remained, as seen in the facets on the exterior, symbolizing the challenges and growth engineers would face in their careers. Kipling emphasized the importance of this roughness, likening it to the unrefined character of young engineers.

The Obligation Ceremony 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 Obligation and in order to do so creates Camps in various locations in Canada. The Corporation and Campus are not formally connected with any university or any engineering organization.

In 2025, the Corporation adopted a revised version of the Calling of an Engineer, known informally as the Obligation Ceremony. The updated ceremony retains traditional elements, such as the Obligation and the presentation of iron rings, while embedding them in a modernized narrative that emphasizes the origins and history of the ceremony, the values being promoted, and their relevance to modern engineering.

Additional background on the Calling of An Engineer can be found at ironring.ca