First you learn the technology stack you want to go into really well on the side. Get to the point where you can explain the intricacies of how you “used the tech” (even though you didn’t) to the point where when someone ask you deep details of what you did on your job, what tradeoffs you made and what you like don’t like about the technology you can explain it.
I would have no ethical qualms about doing whatever is necessary to get a job in today’s environment.
Now is far certifications? They are meaningless and no one takes them seriously. They are multiple choice tests that any idiot can pass by memorizing a few concepts from ACloudGuru. Interviewers don’t take them seriously at all as far as having competence.
I have 7 active AWS Certs and at one point had 9 out of the then 11. I got my first one without ever logging into the AWS console and my next 4 within the first 6 months. They were never about getting a job. They served as a guided learning path to help me know what I didn’t know as I became the defacto cloud architect at a startup.
Not even AWS Professional Services (former employee) the internal cloud consulting arm at AWS cares about certification as a hiring criteria.
I now work as a staff cloud consultant specializing in app dev + cloud working full time at a 3rd party cloud consulting company. I got my start on AWS dealing with migrating from .Net Framework to .net Core on AWS at the startup.
No one is going to hire you because you studied MLOps on the side doing toy projects when there are plenty of people with real world experience looking for jobs.
Your other bet is working for a company that has a mixture of .Net framework and they are moving to .NET Core and other modern tech and then volunteer to work on more modern tech at your new job.