No experience yet, how do you actually get hired as a cloud engineer?

Work on real projects. You stand a far better chance when you can show a recruiter what you've actually done. Labs that mimic real-life situations are a good source, and you should document each project as you go.

List those projects on your LinkedIn profile or your résumé as real experience. A strong edge is to write about your learning: blog about it, post on LinkedIn or GitHub, or make short videos of what you build.

Recruiters don't hire credentials, they hire demonstrated judgment, and shipped projects are how you prove it.