If Rolling stones can work into their seventies so can anyone, Esther McVey says The last bastion of inequality between the generations, she warned, is now between those who know how to use "Twitter, mobiles, the iPhone" and those who struggle with new technology. Despite this, she said, older workers have an "armoury of skills" which make them valuable in the workplaces, and that over fifties offer "a calmness, a confidence and a knowing of yourself" missing in their younger counterparts, she said. Ms McVey told The Telegraph: "Where is the generational gap in our country? Where is the change between mother and daughter? Because, and this has happened for at least 20 years, it isn't in fashion, it isn't in music, it isn't in past times or social. If there is anything where that has changed now it is IT knowledge, so if I have to look at what is the generational gap that is it. We have come closer together in all the other areas but not there. She added: "I mean bloomin" heck - when you have got the Rolling Stones and I don't even know how old they are now, touring and still taking to the stage of Glastonbury and people flocking to see them, it kind of shows that that age separation isn't there now. It's moved on as a separation - whereas in the fifties and sixties there was a definite parent children, them and us [divide]. Mothers who are looking to "come into their own" and take on new careers after children have left home have particular skills to offer in the work place, Ms McVey said. Running a family means that women have "negotiating skills, tolerance, temper, control" as well as "team playing, managerial, delegation, being on time, consideration" to bring to a work place. It is an age old saying, you can't put an old head on young shoulders, you just can't. But you can put them next to them, and that's when it works. She added: "If you are looking at the complexity of a working life - you know that we [women] have the children, invariably, we are the carers whether that is younger or older. But where they can come into their own - and I totally believe that - it is in their fifties. So I didn't have that sort of family career. I have had two other careers already, what I do see is people [later in life] taking stock of their life as they have never done before and saying OK what do I want to do now.