I mean if someone likes the subject, then they should invent a project that forces them to build something or write something up. Otherwise its easy to "fake" learning by doing the motions on a bunch of tutorials and quizzes.
Independent projects can definitely be a great way to learn, and yes many courses are shitty. But it is also very possible to take a good course and walk away with new knowledge you didn't even realize you needed. Some of my favorite projects actually started with an idea from a course, and then I learned even more in order to further expand on it. Synergy between project-driven and course-driven education can be a powerful iterative process.