diff --git a/dist/helpers/block-helpers.js b/dist/helpers/block-helpers.js
index f06a063..adae083 100644
--- a/dist/helpers/block-helpers.js
+++ b/dist/helpers/block-helpers.js
@@ -43,6 +43,16 @@ Block helper definitions for HackMyResume / FluentCV.
       }
       return ret;
     },
+    ifHasSkill: function(rez, skill, options) {
+      var ret, skUp;
+      skUp = skill.toUpperCase();
+      ret = _.some(rez.skills.list, function(sk) {
+        return (skUp.toUpperCase() === sk.name.toUpperCase()) && sk.years;
+      }, this);
+      if (ret) {
+        return options.fn(this);
+      }
+    },
 
     /**
     Emit the enclosed content if the resume has the named
diff --git a/dist/helpers/generic-helpers.js b/dist/helpers/generic-helpers.js
index a9da25e..5fd4944 100644
--- a/dist/helpers/generic-helpers.js
+++ b/dist/helpers/generic-helpers.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ Generic template helper definitions for HackMyResume / FluentCV.
  */
 
 (function() {
-  var FS, FluentDate, GenericHelpers, H2W, HMSTATUS, LO, MD, PATH, XML, _, _fromTo, _reportError, moment, printf, skillLevelToIndex, unused;
+  var FS, FluentDate, GenericHelpers, H2W, HMSTATUS, LO, MD, PATH, XML, _, _fromTo, _reportError, _skillLevelToIndex, moment, printf, unused;
 
   MD = require('marked');
 
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ Generic template helper definitions for HackMyResume / FluentCV.
      */
     skillColor: function(lvl) {
       var idx, skillColors;
-      idx = skillLevelToIndex(lvl);
+      idx = _skillLevelToIndex(lvl);
       skillColors = (this.theme && this.theme.palette && this.theme.palette.skillLevels) || ['#FFFFFF', '#5CB85C', '#F1C40F', '#428BCA', '#C00000'];
       return skillColors[idx];
     },
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ Generic template helper definitions for HackMyResume / FluentCV.
      */
     skillHeight: function(lvl) {
       var idx;
-      idx = skillLevelToIndex(lvl);
+      idx = _skillLevelToIndex(lvl);
       return ['38.25', '30', '16', '8', '0'][idx];
     },
 
@@ -541,6 +541,17 @@ Generic template helper definitions for HackMyResume / FluentCV.
         ret = PAD(stringOrArray, stringOrArray.length + Math.abs(padAmount), null, padAmount < 0 ? PAD.LEFT : PAD.RIGHT);
       }
       return ret;
+    },
+    skillYears: function(skill, rez) {
+      var sk;
+      sk = _.find(rez.skills.list, function(sk) {
+        return sk.name.toUpperCase() === skill.toUpperCase();
+      });
+      if (sk) {
+        return sk.years;
+      } else {
+        return '?';
+      }
     }
   };
 
@@ -599,7 +610,7 @@ Generic template helper definitions for HackMyResume / FluentCV.
     return '';
   };
 
-  skillLevelToIndex = function(lvl) {
+  _skillLevelToIndex = function(lvl) {
     var idx, intVal;
     idx = 0;
     if (String.is(lvl)) {
diff --git a/src/helpers/block-helpers.coffee b/src/helpers/block-helpers.coffee
index e3d3045..d01fcb6 100644
--- a/src/helpers/block-helpers.coffee
+++ b/src/helpers/block-helpers.coffee
@@ -38,6 +38,14 @@ BlockHelpers = module.exports =
 
 
 
+  ifHasSkill: ( rez, skill, options ) ->
+    skUp = skill.toUpperCase()
+    ret = _.some rez.skills.list, (sk) ->
+      (skUp.toUpperCase() == sk.name.toUpperCase()) and sk.years
+    , @
+    options.fn @ if ret
+
+
   ###*
   Emit the enclosed content if the resume has the named
   property or subproperty.
@@ -55,4 +63,4 @@ BlockHelpers = module.exports =
   Return true if either value is truthy.
   @method either
   ###
-  either: ( lhs, rhs, options ) -> options.fn @ if lhs || rhs    
+  either: ( lhs, rhs, options ) -> options.fn @ if lhs || rhs
diff --git a/src/helpers/generic-helpers.coffee b/src/helpers/generic-helpers.coffee
index dddef4d..79724fe 100644
--- a/src/helpers/generic-helpers.coffee
+++ b/src/helpers/generic-helpers.coffee
@@ -329,6 +329,7 @@ GenericHelpers = module.exports =
     # If not provided by the user, stitle should default to sname. ps.
     # Handlebars silently passes in the options object to the last param,
     # where in Underscore stitle will be null/undefined, so we check both.
+    # TODO: not actually sure that's true, given that we _.wrap these functions
     stitle = (stitle && String.is(stitle) && stitle) || sname
 
     # If there's a section title override, use it.
@@ -342,7 +343,7 @@ GenericHelpers = module.exports =
   wpml: ( txt, inline ) ->
     return '' if !txt
     inline = (inline && !inline.hash) || false
-    txt = XML(txt.trim())
+    txt = XML txt.trim()
     txt = if inline then MD(txt).replace(/^\s*<p>|<\/p>\s*$/gi, '') else MD(txt)
     txt = H2W( txt )
     return txt
@@ -376,7 +377,7 @@ GenericHelpers = module.exports =
   '#FFFFAA').
   ###
   skillColor: ( lvl ) ->
-    idx = skillLevelToIndex lvl
+    idx = _skillLevelToIndex lvl
     skillColors = (this.theme && this.theme.palette &&
       this.theme.palette.skillLevels) ||
       [ '#FFFFFF', '#5CB85C', '#F1C40F', '#428BCA', '#C00000' ]
@@ -389,7 +390,7 @@ GenericHelpers = module.exports =
   @method lastWord
   ###
   skillHeight: ( lvl ) ->
-    idx = skillLevelToIndex lvl
+    idx = _skillLevelToIndex lvl
     ['38.25', '30', '16', '8', '0'][idx]
 
 
@@ -505,6 +506,11 @@ GenericHelpers = module.exports =
     ret
 
 
+  skillYears: ( skill, rez ) ->
+    sk = _.find rez.skills.list, (sk) -> sk.name.toUpperCase() == skill.toUpperCase()
+    if sk then sk.years else '?'
+
+
 
 ###*
 Report an error to the outside world without throwing an exception. Currently
@@ -562,7 +568,7 @@ _fromTo = ( dateA, dateB, fmt, sep, fallback ) ->
 
 
 
-skillLevelToIndex = ( lvl ) ->
+_skillLevelToIndex = ( lvl ) ->
   idx = 0
   if String.is( lvl )
     lvl = lvl.trim().toLowerCase()