The paradox is real because employers are managing risk. They prefer candidates who have already demonstrated some ability to deliver. Students, however, may not have had access to commercial work during their education.
One solution is structured project experience. Internships, supervised projects, labs, open-source work, student ventures, and practical training can all create evidence before full-time employment begins.
The important distinction is between passive learning and accountable execution. Watching tutorials can build knowledge, but completing a project with a deadline, specification, review, and final output creates a different kind of learning.
Students should aim to leave education with both knowledge and examples of applied work. That combination gives them more to discuss when the first serious opportunity appears.