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Iron Ring Ceremonies

A long-standing Canadian tradition, the Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer (external link, opens in new window)  is a ceremony administered by the Corporation of the Seven Wardens Inc., an independent body established by seven past presidents of the Engineering Institute of Canada. During the ceremony, bachelor of engineering graduates take a solemn oath of intention to faithfully uphold the duties and responsibilities of the engineer and, in turn, receive an Iron Ring. When worn on the little finger of the dominant hand, the ring serves as a symbol of pride, humility and the profession’s high standards of conduct. It is a reminder of the obligation committed to during the ceremony.

2024 Ceremony

The Corporation of the Seven Wardens Inc. is made up of 27 camps across Canada. Camp One administers Toronto Metropolitan University’s annual Iron Ring Ceremonies. To participate, you must be confirmed as eligible to graduate from a bachelor of engineering program in the spring, and you must have registered via the Camp One website (external link)  by the registration deadline.

Iron Ring Ceremony 2024

Camp One will be hosting the Iron Ring Ceremony 2024. Eligible students will receive an invitation and link to participate through their Toronto Metropolitan University email.

January 30 - February 6: Camp One Student Information System (external link)  open

February 7: Last day to apply to graduate via MyServiceHub to attend the ceremony

February 7 - February 13: Camp One Iron Ring Registration Portal open

March 9: In-Person Iron Ring Ceremony

 

How to Register

Students who have completed or are currently registered in all required courses needed to graduate from a bachelor of engineering program and are eligible for spring graduation may register to participate in the Iron Ring Ceremonies following the process outlined below.

Apply to graduate through MyServiceHub one week prior to the Iron Ring Ceremony registration deadline noted above. You must be eligible for spring graduation from a bachelor of engineering program, and your name will be checked against a list of eligible graduates provided by the Office of the Registrar. If you are not eligible to graduate, you will not be able to register for the Iron Ring Ceremony.

Determine your ring size. You must know your ring size prior to registering for the ceremony and will not be able to change your size once submitted. For help determining your size, refer to the Frequently Asked Questions below.

Register to participate in the ceremony through the Camp One registration portal (external link, opens in new window)  by the deadline noted above. When completing the online registration, ensure your legal name is formatted as you want it to appear on your obligation certificate. You will receive your certificate approximately three weeks following the ceremony. If you enter your information incorrectly and require a certificate reprint, a fee of $10 will apply.

In mid-March, you will receive an email with a unique admission code and additional instructions on how to gain entry to your ceremony. You must bring this email with your personalized entrance admission identification code to your ceremony.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have questions about the Toronto Metropolitan University Iron Ring Ceremony that are not answered on this page, contact iron@torontomu.ca.

To determine your ring size, use a ring sizer found through the Toronto Metropolitan University Engineering Student Society office (KHE-123) or a jewellery or department store. 

  • Measure the small finger of your dominant hand later in the day, at room temperature. Never measure when your hands are cold. Your finger’s size will be affected by the time of day, temperature, humidity, exercise and other factors. Fingers tend to swell later in the day.
  • The ring should fit over the knuckle and sit comfortably at the base of the finger. The correct size will require you to twist once or twice to get it off the knuckle; otherwise, your ring will fall off when your hands are wet or cold.
  • If the ring slips easily over your knuckle when removing it, try a half size smaller.
  • If you are not used to wearing a ring, the proper size may feel a bit uncomfortable at first. 

If your ring does not fit on ceremony day, you will have an opportunity to exchange it after your ceremony.

Master’s and PhD students and students who obtained their undergraduate engineering degree from a country other than Canada cannot participate in the undergraduate students’ March ceremonies. You must first register with the provincial licensing body – in Ontario, Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO). You will also need to demonstrate that you have met the academic requirements as an engineer in training (EIT). Then, you may apply to participate in a senior ceremony, which takes place in October or November each year. The application process is outlined on the Camp One website (external link) .

No. The obligation ceremony is about an engineer’s personal obligation to uphold the ideals of engineering. The ring is a reminder of the obligation made alongside your peers and the camp wardens, who are practising engineers.

The ceremony takes place annually in March, prior to the final set of exams for graduating engineering students. Your ceremony date and time will be indicated on the invitation email, which will be sent to approved Iron Ring recipients via Camp One’s registration portal. You will need to bring the email with you to be allowed into the ceremony. It is imperative that recipients arrive before their designated ceremony time.

Location: George Vari Engineering Building

Times: 

  • Electrical, Computer, Biomedical: 10 a.m.
  • Mechanical, Industrial, Chemical: 12 p.m. (noon)
  • Aerospace, Civil: 2 p.m.

If you cannot attend the Toronto Metropolitan University ceremonies but wish to receive an Iron Ring, contact Rose Ghamari immediately to arrange ceremony attendance at another Camp One school: Ontario Tech University, University of Toronto or York University.


Steven Ibrhim
iron@torontomu.ca

No. Attendance does not impact graduation from your program or your registration with Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO). However, you must attend a ceremony if you wish to obtain and wear an Iron Ring.

No. The ring is unrelated to professional qualification.

No. Once the doors close, there will be no late entry allowed to any ceremony. 

The obligation ceremony is about an engineer’s personal obligation to uphold the ideals of engineering, which you make alongside your peers and the camp wardens, who are practising engineers. The ring is simply a reminder of that obligation. If you do not do not take the obligation, you will not receive a ring.

No. There is no cost to the student for the ceremony, ring or obligation certificate.

Yes. Camp One is the only camp across Canada that still allows recipients to choose between iron and stainless steel. You will indicate your selection when registering through the online portal.

To invite a ring presenter, indicate the name of your presenter when registering for the obligation ceremony. You will receive an email in mid-March confirming that your invited ring presenter has been approved to accompany you to the ceremony.

Invited ring presenters must be obligated engineers who have received an Iron Ring at a past ceremony and must have been a practising engineer for a minimum of four years. The obligation of invited ring presenters will be verified through the Corporation of the Seven Wardens Inc.’s Canada-wide database. Presenters must wear their Iron Ring on the day of the ceremony in order to participate.

Professors and other members of the university teaching staff are not eligible to present their students’ rings, unless they are a family member of the student and meet the requirement for invited ring presenters noted above. Family members and/or professional mentors acting as an invited ring presenter must meet the above requirements. No exceptions will be made. The provisions noted here are required to ensure a mentor-candidate relationship between the ring presenter and the candidate.

No. Non-obligated engineers are not allowed to attend the ceremony. Only approved ring presenters and recipients may attend the ceremony.

Attendees must wear a business suit, sports jacket or blazer, or attire of equal business formality in order to participate in the ceremony. Jeans, shorts, T-shirts, tank tops, miniskirts, cargo or sweatpants, sweatshirts, windbreakers, athletic shoes or any ripped, frayed or distressed clothing are prohibited. Camp One reserves the right to refuse entry to attendees who are not in compliance with the dress code.