a stepping stone

Some situation, circumstance, or experience that serves to assist one in reaching or progressing toward a goal or desired outcome. While I wasn't paid during my internship with the law firm, it acted as a superb stepping stone to getting hired as a full-time legal assistant at another firm.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Surayya	-	Arabic
Desdemona	dez-də-MON-ə (English)	Literature
Martyn	-	Welsh, Ukrainian
Tielo	-	Medieval German
Cathleen	['kæθli:n]
Nedelka	-	Macedonian