I’m curious if anyone else participated in or if their school offered entry to “Order of the Engineer”. My university offered it upon graduation. It was a one time $10 fee to cover the cost of the stainless steel ring given during the ceremony. For anyone who has no idea what I’m talking about: Order of the Engineer website
It was a short ceremony after earning our bachelor’s degrees, where we took the oath and were given the rings to wear. There are no dues to pay or requirements to maintain “membership” or anything, but honestly, I’ve thought about it very often throughout my career. I’ve been wearing the ring for continuously for over 10 years now and it does remind me of the oath I made to receive it:
I am an Engineer. In my profession I take deep pride. To it I owe solemn obligations. As an Engineer, I pledge to practice integrity and fair dealing, tolerance and respect; and to uphold devotion to the standards and the dignity of my profession, conscious always that my skill carries with it the obligation to serve humanity by making the best use of the Earth’s precious wealth. As an Engineer, I shall participate in none but honest enterprises. When needed, my skill and knowledge shall be given without reservation for the public good. In the performance of duty and in fidelity to my profession, I shall give my utmost.
It doesn’t necessarily say it, but I’ve always considered it a sort of Hippocratic oath for myself. It is a cliche, but I’ve found myself reminded by the ring on my finger that I should “do no harm” with my work and ability.
I’ve been a member for many years and in non-pandemic times, I induct our new graduates into it as well. That ring does help you remember to be the best engineer you can!
I am a little surprised here. In Canada, when you graduate from an engineering university, there is a ceremony, and you are handed an iron ring which supposedly is made from steel from a bridge that collapsed in Quebec, and killed dozens of people. It is a nice way to say “Don’t f*ck up”.
I graduated with a three-year diploma, so I don’t have one.
Interesting, I have not heard of it. See the first ceremony was after I graduated. Times and priorities for graduates were different back then… things like being drafted and sent to south-east Asia.
Took the oath, got the ring, immediately made many Lord of the Rings and Single Ladies jokes about it, then lost it a couple years later in a move. I’ve never seen another engineer wear one since I graduated - round about 7 years now.
Never heard of it either, 30-something years on as an Engineer. But, we never had anybody talk to us (Aerospace Engineering) grads about EIT/PE and licensing, either. Have heard from colleagues about Canadian engineers and their iron rings, which supposedly rust and stain fingers/clothes. Another colleague has a tungsten carbide ring, which has two advantages over my gold wedding band: 1. - it will turn to powder if you get it pinched, rather than collapse and sever your finger like other metals, and B) you can use it to pry bottle caps off of beverage containers.
Thanks for the tip, Ben. I didn’t know they could remove bottle caps but I get it now that you say it. (I use keys for that). I wear a TiC ring now (ever since pinching my original wedding band but thankfully didn’t injure my finger).
Salad,
Never heard of the Order, either.
If I’d bothered to get an iron ring (another Canadian, here) I wouldn’t wear it.
One ring to remove when working in the shop is enough.
The oath you quoted is similar to the professional oath I took when I registered.
If I remember my ceremony correctly, my University had this for all the graduating engineers because there was a nearby chapter for the Order. The group is 51 years old and symbolic, so I think that’s why it’s uncommon.