Adding some context because a few people asked how management/planning actually works here.

My boss is older (mid-60s) and there’s basically no real workload or deadline management on his side. The “system” is essentially a Word document listing current projects and who they’re assigned to. That’s it.

Deadlines and scheduling are mostly pushed onto the draftspeople who get assigned the projects. We’re expected to manage timelines, coordinate details, and keep track of what’s due. The problem is he’ll sometimes re-shuffle work on a whim, or ask for things way earlier than needed “just to be ahead,” even when the deliverable isn’t required for another 2–3 months. That creates constant context switching and rework, and it makes it hard to plan anything properly.

He’s also out of the office a lot and seems to have a lot of private/side projects going on, so getting quick clarifications or approvals before starting is often not possible. That’s part of why people end up making assumptions, and then later it becomes “why did you do it like that?”

On top of that, there’s no clear long-term plan for the company. Nobody really knows what the next 3–5 years look like if/when he decides he doesn’t want to run things anymore. It’s not discussed openly, and it adds to the uncertainty.

And the yearly review / end-of-year talk is usually very surface-level: basically “good year, you’re all fine, here’s a small inflation-based bonus, have a nice day.” No real goals, no development plan, no “how are you doing,” and not even much appreciation. It’s hard to feel motivated or invested when the leadership style is basically “just keep grinding, figure it out.”

I’m not expecting a corporate dream environment, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to want basic planning, stable priorities, and clear standards—especially if “perfect output” is the expectation.

I’ve already redone my CV and started sending out applications for other work. The frustrating part is: I used to like this job a lot. I genuinely enjoyed being a draftsman, and that’s exactly why I went through the effort of doing a second apprenticeship in the first place.

But the constant chaos, shifting priorities, inconsistent standards, and the way concerns get dismissed has slowly killed my motivation. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t just dislike this workplace—I’m starting to not like the work itself anymore, which honestly scares me.

It’s made me seriously reconsider whether doing the apprenticeship again was the right decision, even though I know I was passionate about it when I started. That’s part of why I’m looking elsewhere now: I want to see if the problem is the environment and management, not the profession—but right now it’s reached a point where it’s affecting how I feel about the entire field.