hands-on experience
noun[U]
ukusknowledgeorskillthat someone gets from doing somethingratherthan justreadingabout it orseeingit being done:
They willparticipateinworkshopsand gethands-onexperienceleadingclasses.
He always said helearnedmore aboutnewspapersfromhands-onexperiencethan he did in theclassroom.