Hey Troy,
I am in a similar boat myself currently my full time job is non trade, but I have been doing work for friends and family and my own house, basic stuff at first like swapping out fittings/accessories then alterations etc. I've have been getting more jobs over time, last weekend I fitted intermediate switching to a relatives house (they had standard 2 way controlling landing light from upstairs and downstairs) as they wanted a 3rd switch on a wall of an extension they had done a few years back as well as lights and switching adding in their boarded out loft.
Was a good job as it involved running new cable, switches, lifting boards, clipping and making good afterwards (once all the testing was done).
Recently before that I did a rewire and board change (which was inspected and signed off by another fully qualified spark ) as via word of mouth, it got back to the client what my situation was, wanting more experience etc, and they were happy to let me do it as they (gas engineer and plumber) had difficulty years ago when they first got into a trade due to lack of experience.
Throughout all of these small to large jobs, I've done videos and taken pictures of progress, when they time comes to me to look at moving into the role full time (initially want to move to a firm to get work full time and do my NVQ) I have a small portfolio to back up what experience I have, areas to work on etc.
It is a bit of slow road (I am currently learning to drive) but getting there bit by bit, and word of mouth is helping me to get small jobs in.
If you can start of doing things like that, that may may put you in better standing when it comes to applications, and you will learn stuff, as lot of the main learning comes from doing the job itself (for me at least, I had sod all electrical knowledge when i first started at college at a night just before Covid lol)
You will get there!