You don't have to actually do a real project. It's more about doing a task that requires you to create outside the hand holding.

After 15 years of OS and embedded systems development I learned web dev by creating a SaaS for my HOA's property manager to communicate with tenants. Node, React, MongoDB, docker, iOS and Android apps. Did the project look good? Nope. Did I have to dig into manuals and debug for weeks, yep. But I easily stepped into a new role in an industry I had never worked in because I really learned the tech stack. Actually using the app wasn't necessary, just that I actually had to create things requiring me to design around the technology I was learning.

Pick a problem in your life and solve it. Doesn't need to become something you sell or publish or even use after you're done learning. But the point is to actually use your skills.