Introducing Victoria Hearn from European Floor Toppings

How did you originally get into the construction industry?

I’m one of those people who never knew what they wanted to do when they grew up. I worked in tertiary education for nearly 15 years before I had my son in 2019. Four weeks later, I started part-time at European Floor Toppings Ltd (EFTL) with a newborn. I had no idea what I was doing but just worked it out as I went along with some help. I like that it is similar with new staff joining the flooring team now. They start from scratch and learn as they go both on the job and off, with a fair amount of training.

What’s great about working in the Resin Flooring sector?

I had never heard of Resin Flooring before being introduced to EFTL. It’s not necessarily something people know about but is everywhere. EFTL work hard to deliver the highest quality flooring and have an outstanding reputation for delivering challenging projects and offering some innovative finishes. The architectural projects are a highlight for me because of the talent and skill that goes into a piece of work like the Mercedes showroom, or the foyer and kitchens at the new Pullman Hotel at Auckland Airport. Equally the process of laying a supermarket floor can be so mesmerizing to watch the skill of the tradesperson.

Being the first women nominated onto the Allnex Contractors Federation Board for Taupo North – how did that make you feel?

It’s a bit weird, I like to think it had nothing to do with my gender but rather my skills and abilities. I would love to see more women entering the industry to become flooring installers so maybe this will inspire some more to join the resin flooring industry. In the South Island there is a great cohort of women installing resin floors, so momentum is building.

What will you bring to the Federation?

My past governance and conference experience to help the federation thrive. My work with EFTL is predominantly around safety so I would like to help other businesses looking for advice or support.

I have a slightly different perspective from the business owners in that I am still new to the industry. I like to understand what commonalities the businesses share that would help the industry to grow with professionalism and a commitment to quality.

Do you have any specific priorities or goals you want to implement during your tenure?

I have two big goals at this point:

• I want to boost the membership of Allnex Contractors Federation (ACFED) and its reach to non-members operating in the resin flooring industry. I would like ACFED to support good business practices, safe operations, and a community of practice.
• I want resin flooring and waterproofing to be known as a career opportunity for school leavers that they actively seek out as a career option.