Almost 50 years later he remains in the confectionery industry, but now his position is somewhat different. He is an industry guru. He has seen all aspects of the business from the most mundane of jobs he carried out as a boy, to the upper echelons of management and ownership.

One thing has remained constant throughout all those years. Derek, who now lives in the village of Liff, by Dundee, has always been a craftsman, magically combining ingredients to produce some truly mouth-watering sweets.

Even when he has been a company owner himself, he has continued to work on the shop floor. It is this hands-on approach and meticulous application that has led to his current role as a Candy Consultant, a trouble shooter who travels the world helping manufacturers with their problems.

Derek, who founded and ran Dundee’s own Shaws Sweet Factory, has become such an expert in all matters relating to confectionery that he is now called upon from places as far afield as South Africa and China to lend a hand. He has come a long way from his humble beginning as the odd-job boy.

“I think I knew as soon as I started working in the factory as a boy that making sweets was what I wanted to do,” he said. “All those amazing flavours and colours were fascinating to me and watching people combining a few ingredients to make these wonderful creations was a magical experience.

“I remember at the age of 14 I got to make my first batch of pear drops and from that moment on I was hooked.”

Leaving school at 15, Derek became at an apprentice and was soon learning all the tricks of the trade and taking his first steps on a career path he would stay on throughout his working life.

He cut his teeth making such iconic sweets as coconut ice, caramels and any number of boiled favourites.

By the age of 20 he was ready to move to the capital and found work at a factory in South Norwood in London. There, he learned more and more techniques, including making jam centres, which at the time in the sixties, was a fairly revolutionary concept.

“In those days you had no choice but to learn every aspect of the business,” Derek continued. “For example we used big belt-driven machines, but engineers were expensive to call out, so the guys knew how to do a lot of the repairs themselves. It was a real education.

“During those early years I learned a lot of stuff that has carried me in good stead over the years.”

It wasn’t long before Derek was climbing the career ladder. He rose through the senior ranks of several companies before being given the opportunity to move to Dundee to work at local company Keillor’s.

“When I was first asked about coming to Dundee my initial reaction was why on earth would I want to move from London to Dundee?

“Fortunately before I made the final decision my family and I were shown around the city and once we saw all there was to offer it was an easy decision. It is something I have never regretted and we now can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

Derek, who is also a community stalwart through his role in Dundee Rotary Club, set up his own factory in 1989 and despite the fact that initially they enjoyed success, ultimately market forces and his own ill-health forced the business to close in 2002.

At that point he admits to feeling depressed about his circumstances and the uncertainty that was surrounding his life, but before long another possibility was to emerge on the horizon.

“I was sitting at home and I realised that up to now I had been living my life at 100 mph and here I was doing nothing,” he added.

“I really had no idea what to do. Then, people would start phoning me asking for advice about how to do a certain thing. Over the years I have come in contact with a lot of people in the industry and made a lot of friends. I would find myself answering the phone and getting queries about a particular process. I would help them out and it has just grown from there.

“I have always been a hands on kind of person. I liked to actually be part of the process and I have always enjoyed being on the factory floor as much as being in the boardroom. I hope that all my experiences at all the different levels of the business has given me a unique perspective and if I can pass on some of that to other people then that’s great.

“I never really had any plan to do this, but it has given me a whole new perspective on the industry. I like the idea that I never know what I’m going to be asked to do next. One week I could be down in England, the next I might be on the other side of the world.

“I am planning to do this for the next few years at least. I am delighted that I am still able to make a contribution.”