The Apprenticeship Move

Find someone doing the work you want to do, and offer to help for free at first. This is not getting used; it is a smart investment in your own skills and reach.

Reach out with specifics: "I admire your work on X. I would love to take one task off your plate." Naming a concrete task makes the yes easy. Pick a single deliverable you can finish well, do it brilliantly, and the next opportunities tend to dwarf the hours you put in.