This silly little stamp took me 27 years of my life to get.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulation_and_licensure_in_engineering
The professional status and the actual practice of professional engineering is legally defined and protected by a government body. In some jurisdictions only registered or licensed engineers are permitted to use the title of engineer or to practice engineering professionally. Another earmark that distinguishes a licensed professional engineer is the authority to take legal responsibility for engineering work. For example, a licensed engineer may sign, seal or stamp technical documentation such as reports, drawings, and calculations for a study, estimate, design or analysis.
It's a milestone in my life, so I decided to put my first stamp somewhere and hold on to it. Given the way my career is going, as with a lot of engineers, I doubt I'll ever really use it. I remember when I was a kid, playing around in my dad's desk drawers, I found his stamp and didn't really know what it was. Ink had never touched it and it was next to a dried out ink pad, but I think a lot of engineers just want to have it for the memory.
To become a professional engineer in Canada, you need to graduate with an engineering degree (which is when you get your iron ring - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Ring ), get 4 years working experience under a licensed engineer, and then pass the ethics and regulations test ( http://www.apegga.org/Applicants/Examinations/pp.html ).
I know there's a lot of younger engineers here on TL in school now. Hope to see similar blogs in 4-8 years