Ideal Stepping Stone for Project Finance

Originally from South Africa but go to US non-target school. I know for certain I want to do public/project finance for my career, and I plan to live in the US long term. I've networked a bunch and tried to find entry level roles at development banks, project finance advisory firms, (finance-type roles) at engineering firms, BB IB Municipal Finance, and Project/Public Finance Investment Banking Analyst jobs and no luck for FT.

I am graduating in a few months (June) and will be entering a Big 4 accounting "consulting-ish" kinda job. 

Would the PF'ers out there agree that these are the best stepping stones for project finance:

- rating agency
- leveraged finance
- commercial/corporate banking
- something with credit
- well... investment banking cause duh you can finagle anything


I understand there is no correct answer, but curious what the PF'ers out there feel is the ideal stepping stone role to enter U.S. infrastructure/project finance advisory without an MBA.... besides, well.... project finance.

Oh.. and Plz help me break in

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