Verkada Tech Support Engineer interview questions

Got an email to set up a phone call with the hiring manager. The whole process took about two weeks. The interview overall went well, but I was taken aback by some of his responses. I asked about his view on tech support and the future of the people that joined his team and said that he believes that tech support is a good pathway towards product designer or management roles because you get to interact with the product directly with the customers. Later on in the interview, he mentioned that he didn't want someone who saw the role as a stepping stone despite his first comment about the role. Also, I was indirectly told that the manager had expected more from me because where I was from and had I come from a different academic background that they would not have considered me at all. From my interactions with the company, I think they're doing great things and really are looking for people best fit for the role. I just had an odd experience for this interview.