Seeing the numbers — $1.67 billion and 19,000 jobs — it's difficult not to sit up and take notice that Naval Base Ventura County is a vital part of the local economy.

The findings are included in a new study by the Workforce Investment Board of Ventura County that will be presented today at the Navy Business and Community Expo at the Ventura County Office of Education.

The $1.67 billion is an estimate of the annual benefit to the region, including $1.2 billion in indirect and induced value of goods and services, $377.7 million in salaries, $69.2 million in state and local tax revenue and $1 million in "aid to schools" funds.

The expo is a coming-out party of sorts for the base, giving Navy brass a chance to interact with the community and providing area vendors with a primer on how to do business with the base.

The leadership at the base wants to strengthen partnerships with the community and local businesses, said Cheryl Moore, executive director of the Workforce Investment Board.

For Moore, the study doesn't contain any great surprises. What it does is give specific numbers to what many have known: The base is by far the largest year-round employer in Ventura County, more than twice as big as any government agency or company.

The payroll includes civilian jobs — about 8,200 — and military jobs. The 19,000 total workforce amounts to about 4.6 percent of all jobs in Ventura County, according to the report.

The report notes that the highest number of base jobs falls under high-paying scientific and technical fields. For example, a journeyman engineer — at a federal job classification of a GS 12, Step Two — makes about $81,000 a year. But there are also opportunities for people with trade skills, Moore said.

"Naval Base Ventura County has a significant economic influence on Ventura County," said Capt. Brad "Brick" Conners, the base's commanding officer. "This report details the positive impacts and explains how NBVC is a good neighbor to the community economically."

The expo includes two afternoon sessions on how to do business with the Navy, said Debbie Barber, a spokesperson for the Workforce Investment Board and communications manager for the county Human Services Agency.

"We expect there will be standing room only," said Barber.

As for the study, it details the direct, indirect and induced impacts of the base, which has been a fixture in the county for six decades. Although previous studies were done when the base was evaluated by the Department of Defense's Base Realignment and Closure Committee, the Workforce Investment Board's Economic Impact Study is considered the first true labor market report.

The board is composed of local business, labor and community leaders appointed by the county Board of Supervisors. It distributes federal money allocated through the Workforce Investment Act, which aims to help job seekers and businesses find opportunities.

The base's numbers mean opportunities for local businesses and job seekers, Moore said.

"It's confirming that the base does have a tremendous economic impact and on the work force in general," she said.

The report will be available for download on June 16 at the board's Web site, http://www.wib.ventura.org.