Interested in gaining relevant experience--Is it better to sub or para?

Don't mind me, I'm just going to think out loud, but please, feel free to chime in with your thoughts on this if you so wish :-)

TL;DR: Sub vs Para positions, pros vs cons, and wanting to break into the field and gain relevant experience.

I'm currently in my undergrad and interested in eventually going into teaching SpEd. Aside from one summer job, I have next to no experience in real education.

From research I've done regarding my state (in the USA), it seems the only requirements needed for both para and sub positions is a certain amount of matriculated university credits, which I have. I have recently applied though my district website to four Instructional Assistant (aka Para) positions, two of which are SpEd (albeit, it should be noted that all four are "Anticipated Openings"). I did inquire about getting on my district's sub list, but was advised by a friend (who's not in the field, and was offering purely conjectural advice) against pursuing sub positions because of the considerable lower income; the notorious amount of difficulty classes give subs; and the lack of reliability regarding having a job every day (something I need in order to pay for school, and possibly the inevitable need for a car at some point).

On the optimistic side however, [I suspect] subbing could possibly be a good way to scout out schools/districts with a good, supportive and well-to-do teacher/staff environment; make contacts; gain experience; and make myself known (hopefully for good things)... but again, I have next to no experience even though I have the minimum required qualifications for a substitute teacher (over enough matriculated credits). With all this in mind, is it possibly still better to go with subbing (despite my lack of classroom-leading experience) so that I'm not stuck in a bad place on my first attempt in the field (as a para), and just cut any possible losses that a no-call day may bring?

Just to add some clarification, I live in a pretty large suburban, but from what I hear not a very good public school district regarding SpEd services and support compared to surrounding districts and cities that are smaller and have more resources.

Sorry if this is long. It's been on my mind, and I just figured I'd shoot this out before bed so that I'd possibly have a nice full inbox to start my day tomorrow.