Question about using a former employer's drafting templates at my new job

I started at a new drafting firm last month and was asked to set up some project files. My old job had these great templates with all the standard layers and blocks. I thought about bringing them over to save time. My new boss hinted it would be okay since no one would know. But it didn't sit right with me. Those templates were made by my previous team, and it felt like stealing. I ended up making new ones from scratch, which took longer. It made me see that in drafting, our work relies on trust and honesty. Cutting corners might seem easy, but it can lead to bigger problems down the line.

4 comments

4 Comments

the_ben1mo ago

Not sure why this is such a big deal. Templates are just tools to get work done faster. @mia_ross brought up her old CAD manager, but that reaction seems over the top. Most drafting firms use pretty standard layers and blocks anyway. It's not like you stole client data or secret plans. Starting from scratch just costs time when the old templates already do the job fine.

clairetaylor1mo ago

You know how companies act like their title block is the nuclear codes? What if @the_ben's old boss finds out and sends a guy with a clipboard to reclaim their super special "Layer 0"? I picture a manager having a meltdown over a reused border, like it's a leaked state secret.

mia_ross1mo ago

Our last CAD manager would've fired me for even thinking that.

uma3291mo ago

Wait, your new boss actually said no one would know? That's wild to me. Mine would flip if they found out I used old company files, even just templates. It's not about the layers, it's about where they came from.