Professional / Profession = a person engaged in a specified activity, as a main paid occupation rather than as a pastime.
Stepping stone? Within European aviation, there is not much left regarding "stepping stones" Even the so called "major airlines" now have their own "low cost" airlines, or they have been redefining their TC's, pulling it downwards towards Ryanair / Wizz, so they can as they say be able to "compete" with the Low Cost operators.
Paying over 30,000 now for a TR, to sit and wait at home that you might get called for a duty within the next 3 years and you are not able to pay your loans or pay to live life seems like a bad deal for me. Then again if "bank of parents" are bank rolling you, you probably have not really grown up and learned about taking personal responsibility yet.