Here's a sensible collaboration that provides an example for NEO.
North East Texas Workforce Development Board is partnering with Northeast Texas Community College and local economic development councils to present a summit on manufacturing. Read more [1].
Too few economic development organizations partner with their workforce boards. At the federal level, economic development funds are getting cut. Meanwhile, workforce boards have flexible funding sources to support these types of initiatives. Bringing in post-secondary schools as partners creates other opportunities to begin knitting together stronger workforce development networks.
Links:
[1] http://www.texarkanagazette.com/articles/2005/03/31/local_news/news/news11.txt