Seconding the internship route. Internships are easier to get due to no or little pay and limited duration. There's no risk to the company to bring on an intern.
I can assure you, even if you offer "no pay" or zero subsidy, there is absolutely a risk on bringing on anyone, intern or employee. Building a good company means bringing together the right people at the right time ..
Agreed. I learned this the hard/frustrating way when I tried to go this route with very little technical experience.