How open source provides students with real-world experience

In the movie The Secret of My Success, Brantley Foster (played by Michael J. Fox) expresses the exact thought that goes through every new graduate[he]#039[/he]s mind: “How can I get any experience until I get a job that gives me experience?” The hardest thing to do when starting a new career is to get experience. Often this creates a paradox. How do you get work with no experience, and how do you get experience with no work?