Metrologists receive training in measurement uncertainty estimation, and whilst training is good at imparting theory, they often fail to deliver a deep understanding of the rationale behind how and why things are done in a certain way in the lab. There are many textbooks on the theory and the GUM itself provides a wealth of detail, but often not in an easily accessible and digestible manner. The author builds on his many years experience working in industrial and government metrology departments, as well as lecturing to students and professionals to provide a practical hands-on approach to both understanding and calculating measurement uncertainty in real life settings. It addresses the questions and problems practitioners face in moving from a classroom setting to performing high quality measurements and calculating the associated uncertainty.