stepping stone
Plural
stepping stones
1
a stone in a marsh or shallow water that can be stepped on in crossing
2
any means of advancement that helps one to make progress towards achieving something
- The internship served as a stepping stone to her career in marketing.
- Learning basic coding was a stepping stone to more advanced programming skills.
- The small project was a stepping stone toward launching the larger initiative.
- The scholarship was a crucial stepping stone for his academic advancement.
- Completing the certification was a stepping stone to earning a promotion.