A. We live in California, so this shit doesn't fly

B. Software engineers make side projects because it's fun, dude. No one is using that as a gating function. But someone who spends their spare time exploring their field is going to have a leg up on people who only write code 9-5. That's a natural result in any field. Exploration of your field in addition to constant professional work leads to skill development at a faster pace than just the latter.