<p>Staffing data are produced for the department monthly. The table below shows the number of staff employed in the department at the end of November 2018 and at the end of June 2016:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Date</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Headcount</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Full-time equivalent </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>a) November 2018</p></td><td><p>6308</p></td><td><p>6074.8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>b) June 2016</p></td><td><p>3531</p></td><td><p>3395.6</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>During this period, there have been Machinery of Government changes. This included the department taking responsibility for higher and further education and for the Skills Funding Agency, which merged with the Education Funding Agency to create the Education and Skills Funding Agency.</p>