Seeking Advice: software engineering internship for career-switcher

I am a mid-life career switcher. I'd would like to get advice on how to gain experience in the field. Currently, I am enrolled in a CS degree program(starting soon) and working on side projects. I am interested in decentralized technologies. However, lots of these companies seem to only look for seasoned programmers and do not have entry-level positions.

My question is: should I apply for ANY types of software engineering internships? If so, what kinds of experiences are most important to beginners?