Not true at all. You can always look for projects that interest you and start to contribute: browse github and knock yourself out.
For entry level jobs, as long as you can show adequate knowledge in a certain technology, I don't think any employer will care if you get it in a full-time job, or from your personal projects. In fact, I do think a candidate who does personal projects is more attractive because of the initiative and will-power needed to go this path.
Long time lurker, first time poster. While I understand what you are saying, I also understand the fears of the parent. From what I know, in some parts of Europe like Greece, Spain, Portugal there is not much software development going on outside of COTS and I know some people in these countries that get caught on a cycle of jumping from consulting company to consulting company but essentially doing the same kind of job and where 12-14h/day are common. Sometimes even weekends. It can be soul crushing and I doubt that they have any energy or time left for pursuing their own projects/learning new technologies, etc. I don't have first hand experience so I might be wrong but that is what I have heard from about a dozen of people.
Yes, I'm in one of the countries you mentioned. I also see that pattern among older friends which graduated and are now working for 3-5 years. About 30-40% of the people I knew either exited the country immediately after graduating or 2-3 years after. Some even moved via mobility programs like Erasmus and never came back. The rest remain in the cycle you mentioned and that is my fear.
If you are in an EU state why not move somewhere with a better job market like Germany, UK, the Netherlands or the nordic countries (you don't need to be able to speak anything but English to get work as a programmer in any of these)?
For entry level jobs, as long as you can show adequate knowledge in a certain technology, I don't think any employer will care if you get it in a full-time job, or from your personal projects. In fact, I do think a candidate who does personal projects is more attractive because of the initiative and will-power needed to go this path.