The term "ladder" is a inaccurate word as it creates the mindset for the employee that everything is linear and all they have to do is check things off a list to get the promotion. "Career Journey" and "framework" are phrases I prefer to use as it is more realistic to the things that a person learns as they travel through their career.

The framework here is AWESOME but I caution people that just because you check off everything does not mean you are ready to perform at the next level.