On March 30, 2025, Vancouver will host the 54th annual JUNO Awards at Rogers Arena. Leading up to the exciting evening, on Jan. 16, the 2025 JUNO Host Committee organized a Music Industry Career Pathways panel at John Oliver Secondary. The event was designed to demystify the music industry and provide inspiration for those interested in pursuing a career in this dynamic field. 

The panel consisted of three industry professionals: Vincent Diep, Simone Grewal and Mikey Jose. 

• Vincent Diep is a Vancouver-based audio engineer with a background in both studio and live sound environments. He is also an alumnus of Vancouver Technical Secondary School, and a talented pop punk bassist. 
• Simone Grewal is an accomplished broadcaster, writer and producer with over 20 years of experience working in television and radio. Currently, she serves as the program director of 104.3 The Breeze and hosts its “Afternoon Drive” show. She is also a host of the award-winning podcast Relaxing Reads and a key member of Stingray Media’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. 
• Mikey Jose is a neuroscientist-by-day and an artist-by-night. He is currently a PhD candidate in neuroscience, exploring the intersection of music-based therapy approaches and brain health outcomes in people with Parkinson’s Disease. His music captures a global audience, with over 6.5 million streams across 176 countries. 

The Host Committee’s education initiatives are led by VSB career programs lead, Mark Reid. 

“There’s a lot to be gained from teachers in different areas of learning working together to show students how to pursue certain careers after graduation,” said Reid. “As a former music teacher, I recognize that historically, the only way to have a career in the music industry was to know someone in it. It’s important to show students that now, the way in is to show up and show interest.” 

Panelists answered questions about how they started in their respective careers, offered words of advice and provided tips around setting themselves apart from the crowd. 

“Figure out what makes you, you,” said Jose, as he addressed the students. “Lean into that, hold onto that as hard and as close as possible.” 

When asked about mentorship, Grewal acknowledged that while guidance is important, the most critical part of success is believing in yourself. 

“Just go for it,” added Diep. “You might be scared to approach someone and ask questions, but most people in the industry are pretty open, and they’re willing to teach. So, if you’re interested in something and you want to do it, just do it.” 

Further opportunities for students will be part of the Host Committee’s education initiatives. For more resources and career profiles, students can visit MusiCounts.