Debra Cole has a history of graphic design work, but three months ago she made a major industry change; she is now a community manager at Woodbrook Apartments in Gardendale.

“I’m so glad I got to make the change,” she said. “This job fits my personality. I get to meet new people every day, and you never know who’s going to walk through the door.”

Cole worked as a page designer for a newspaper and then a graphic designer, but was laid off. A year later, she landed her current job.

“I was used to having jobs where nobody sees me,” she said.

Although Cole does have a desk, she hardly has a desk job. She begins each day with a drive-through of the entire apartment complex, followed by a walk-through of specific buildings. She said she and the other employees pay meticulous attention to the grounds to make sure the apartment is attractive for potential residents.

Cole also has to make sure the apartments themselves are in top condition for apartment shoppers.

“We rent them so fast that it’s challenging to decorate the models as much as we’d like,” she said. “We have a high occupancy rate for a reason.” Woodbrook Apartments opened in 1986, and Cole said a handful of residents have been living there the whole time.

“Our residents aren’t just people who pay us rent to live here. I know almost everybody,” she said. Cole said many of the tenants are elderly, and she tries to go the extra mile to make sure their needs are met.