Can you do some volunteer work with your schools I.T. department. Or even some job shadowing. That’s one thing I would try. Even without pay it shows ambition. Other than that, do you got a friend that needs a network setup or Linux install? It becomes “I.T. consultant for Echelon, a student-based startup. Focused on building an ethical solution for AI in education.” You can peer review these entries and make sure it sounds believable, don’t get greedy and don’t overreach. Looks for steps maybe a little above your capability but you were heading that way anyways.