Fun Facts You Didn’t Know About Accountancy!

When we think about the role of an accountant, the professional, corporate side relating to the impact they have on a business’s finances comes to mind, right? However, what often gets forgotten about is the fun side of accountancy; the reasons why accounting is also a career that can put a smile on your face.  

This blog explores some fun facts that you probably didn’t know about accountancy, so stay tuned to find out!  

Celebrities in Accounting  

Are you a fan of rockstars Mick Jagger and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin? Well, you might be interested to hear about their life before their music careers. For both artists, they were known to have dabbled in the accounting industry. Mick Jagger, specifically, studied an accountancy and finance degree at the London School of Economics on a scholarship. And Robert Plant took accountancy lessons before taking the plunge and pursuing his music dreams. 

Alternatively, do you like the comedian, Eddie Izzard? As the son of an accountant, it was only fitting that he tried his hand in the numbers game before going down the comedy route; studying an accounting degree from the University of Sheffield. 

FBI Accountants Played a Huge Part in Bringing Down Al Capone 

Thanks to the invention of double-entry bookkeeping, financial crimes always leave a footprint. This means that they will always be captured somewhere in the financial records, a point crucial in the eventual arrest of Al Capone. Specially, we have US accountant and special agent Frank Wilson to thank. This is because he led the two-year long forensic accounting investigation conducted by the US Treasury Department that led to his capture. 

The World’s First Recorded Name Belonged to an Accountant! 

It’s something that happened many centuries ago. With billions of people in existence, you probably didn’t know the first registered name in history belonged to an accountant. Written around 5,000 years ago, his name was Kushim. This is an accountant’s name from Sumer who was making records of supplies in tablets thousands of years ago. 

Bubble gum was invented by an Accountant 

Bubble gum is a popular invention that you can easily find across supermarkets and corner shops worldwide since 1928. Now, for something so common, you might find it hard to believe that it has a link to accounting. Additionally, what if we told you that it was invented by accident? Well, the accountant, Walter E. Diemer knows all about it. At 23-years-old, the accountant accidentally invented bubble gum while testing recipes. 

Play the Numbers Game with an Accountancy Degree! 

So, there we have it, accountancy is more than just a career where you simply crunch the numbers; it has a fun side too! 

By pursuing a BA (Hons) Accountancy degree from the University of Bolton, we will teach you the latest practices and theories of accounting with essential training for entry into this truly prestigious profession. With help from the positive and supportive learning environment we give our students, access: 

- A course that is accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland (CIAS) 

- An enviable range of exemptions from professional accountancy body examinations, including ACCA, ICAEW, ICAS, CIMA and CIPFA, so once you have graduated, you can join their professional development programmes at an advanced stage 

- Excellent support from local employers and the Bolton Society of Chartered Accountants, maximising industry-related opportunities 

- Guest speakers who hold senior positions in industry and practice who will share their experiences with you and your classmates so that you can benefit from their knowledge and advice 

- Opportunities to use mathematical and statistical techniques to solve general business and accountancy related problems so you get a good grounding in real business situations 

Accountants find strength in numbers, so are you ready to start your career journey in a challenging field? Click here to find out about the BA (Hons) Accountancy course in more detail. 

For more information, please contact us at enquiries@bolton.ac.uk or call us on 01204 903903.  

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